Fairfax Symphony Orchestra proves it can be powerful in intimate works, too

The Fairfax Symphony Orchestra has built a reputation for vivid, larger-than-life performances, so it was intriguing on Saturday night to hear a scaled-down version of the group in an evening of music for chamber orchestra. And, while the dull acoustics of George Mason University's Harris Theater didn't do the players any favors, the program -- a thoughtful mix of (mostly) 20th-century works -- proved that the FSO can be nearly as powerful in intimate works as it is with blockbusters.