Judging from Maestro Harvey Felder’s remarks during the Tacoma Symphony’s “Behind the Stands” concert Friday night, Tacoma must be full of people very frightened of chamber music.

It’s an odd assumption, considering Tacoma has a chamber orchestra, chamber music series, and numerous individual chamber groups playing the town. But Felder was talking to his symphony audience, who were filling the seats at the Tacoma Art Museum for an unusual start to the TSO season: a season preview concert of (shock, horror) chamber music.

As it turned out, his remarks weren’t necessary.

Eleven of the orchestra’s principal players took turns playing different combinations of instruments, playing with professional skill and totally non-frightening repertoire. The only thing lacking was some verve.

Oboist Selina Greso was first to shine in Mozart’s Oboe Quartet K. 370 (movt. 1.) Her sweet, if not penetrating, tone soared over strings who tiptoed lightly through the score, missing some opportunities for dynamic guts in the mostly cheerful music. More winds followed in Taffanel’s Quintet for Winds in G minor: excellent intonation and blending, though a slightly sluggish tempo and, again, zero drama.

With Tchaikovsky’s string sextet “Souvenir de Florence,” the mood picked up. This shimmering sleigh ride of a piece featured shining violin solos by concertmaster Svend Ronning, and tight and agile ensemble work in the fugue sections. The only difficulty was, as with many concerts here, the soaring, glass-walled lobby at TAM: a lot of sound is lost between podium and seats, and one is constantly wishing for more, especially in strings.

After intermission, Felder took over the easy, conversational introductions from the musicians and opened up a Q-and-A for the audience before conducting Schubert’s Octet in F major. Just why eight people need a conductor is unclear, and though Felder took the musicians through this joyful, rollicking piece with well-crafted style and assurance, there wasn’t a lot of the spontaneity you need with chamber music.

Finally, after Felder’s interminable introduction to Britten’s 1931 “Sinfonietta” (which he obviously thought his audience needed, it being one of the most recent works the TSO has performed lately,) the piece revealed some of the great solo playing the TSO is capable of. An exquisite duo between violinists Ronning and Sara Hancock, fluid flute from Mary Jensen and Greso’s rich oboe, then spunky viola from Thane Lewis in the final tarantella.

As the ensemble expanded, so did their confidence and sound. The thing about chamber music is that to achieve the same level of dramatic excitement as an orchestra, each musician has to work hard. Which is why it’s actually good for orchestras to learn to play this repertoire together—the problem comes when, despite beautiful playing, the extra work isn’t quite there.

Yet a pleasant enough evening was had by all. No-one seemed afraid of the chamber music, or—for that matter—the Britten. Maybe this will give the TSO confidence to leap into the 21st century. After all, where else than in classical music will something from the 1930’s be called, in Harvey Felder’s words, “modern”?

The Tacoma Symphony Orchestra opens its season with “A Night in Old Russia,” 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25. 253-272-7264, www.tacomasymphony.org.

Vaudeville goes 21st century at the Pantages Saturday night.

Symphony at the museum
Catch the cream of the Tacoma Symphony tonight at Tacoma Art Museum, as they reduce their numbers to play an intimate chamber concert of Mozart, Taffanel, Tchaikovsky, Schubert and Britten. Hang out with the musicians over dessert, wine and coffee afterward, or just look at TAM’s art. 7:30 p.m. tonight. Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma. $50. 253-272-7264, www.tacomasymphony.org

“Birth” tells the truth about labor, onstage
Karen Brody’s play “Birth” was fuelled by hundreds of stories of American women’s childbirthing—the good, the bad, and the frighteningly little-known. 8 p.m. tonight. $16. Tacoma Community College Theatre, 6501 S. 19th St., Tacoma. Also 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27 at Evergreen State College Recital Hall, Olympia; and a BOLD Red Tent (birth story sharing) at Heart of Wellness Healing Arts Center, 205 Clark Place S.E., Tumwater. 800-385-9704, boldinseattle.com.

Vaudeville celebrates 90 years of Pantages
To open the 25th season of the Broadway Center for Performing Arts, and the 90th anniversary of the Pantages itself, BCPA presents an evening of vaudeville. No, not Charlie Chaplin—real live circus, comedy, magic and more. 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27. $24/$45/$65. Pantages Theater, 901 Broadway, Tacoma. 253-591-5894, www.broadwaycenter.org

Tacoma concert pianist Duane Hulbert in recital
Duane Hulbert, University of Puget Sound professor and Grammy-nominated concert pianist, will play Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and Cesar Franck on Christ Church Episcopal’s recently acquired and fully restored 1928 Model O Hamburg Steinway. 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27. Suggested donation $15/$10/$5, everyone welcome regardless of ability to donate. Christ Church Episcopal, 310 N. K. St., Tacoma. 253-383-1569, www.ccptacoma.org

Tacoma Film Festival Opens at the Grand
It’s back—the third Tacoma Film Festival, courtesy of The Grand Cinema. Local unknowns, indie gems, shorts and features: there’s something for everyone. Opening night 6:30 p.m. Oct. 2 at United Methodist Church, 621 Tacoma Avenue, Tacoma, for food and sneak peeks, then films at the Grand from 8:15 p.m. Opening night $17/$14 members. Festival runs Oct. 2-9, ticket prices vary. 253-593-4474, www.grandcinema.com