With their stirring performances of Mozart, Schubert, Schultz and Prokofiev, the SSO captivated a rapt crowd on Wednesday night, and again on Thursday when the musicians showed local school students how fun and engaging an orchestral recital can be.

This was helped by dynamic young conductor Toby Thatcher, who had the children eating out of his hand as he paused the music here and there to share his knowledge of the music, the instruments and the lighter side of life in the SSO.

"Seeing the full house Wednesday night and then the delight on the students' faces on Thursday as they experienced a live orchestra, many of them for the first time, you know this is a performance they'll never forget,” said theatre manager Jeremy Miller. "These opportunities are so important in a regional area like ours."

The orchestra last visited in 2012.

Since that time, mid-coast residents have eagerly anticipated their return and Jeremy has worked closely with the SSO to make it happen.

He was thrilled with the results.

The performance comes in the middle of the Taree and District Eisteddfod, who kindly altered their program to make the visit possible.

Resetting the theatre from eisteddfod to orchestra was quite a challenge for the Manning Entertainment Centre team, who pulled out all the stops to make the event a great success.

As soon as the last strains of the strings fell silent, the theatre was completely reset once again and the Taree Eisteddfod was able to resume just a few hours later.

The Manning Entertainment Centre team has fostered a close relationship with the SSO and strengthened those ties by programming the SSO Fellowship Ensemble annually for the past three years.

Their performances have been warmly received by mid-coast music lovers, and this year the Fellowship Ensemble will again conduct master-classes with aspiring young local musicians.