The city’s community orchestra performed in tip-top shape, once again seemingly animated and inspired by what their maestro sought from and drew out of them. Their program was a series of challenges: three short items of very different natures and requirements; collaboration with 17-year-old violinist Phillip Hammond, winner of the orchestra’s 2018 Youth Concerto Competition, and a taxing performance of none less than Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 — “Pathetique,” a mighty task to be sure.

The musicians emerged not only unscathed but prospering, as if for them there had been no question the challenges would be well met. And they were.

Confidence level throughout the evening was at a happy high. The players appeared to know where they were going and how and why, the obvious result of a successful period of rehearsals under a conductor who understands his players and knows, not only musically but temperamentally, how to bring forth an energetic flow of sound, no matter what the score under exploration called for. His musicians looked and sounded comfortable and as an emotional unit.

Maestro Gomez Guillen opened the program with “Fanfare to la Peri,” a ballet with mythological content, by the French composer Paul Dukas, best known for his orchestral piece “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” made famous in the classic cartoon feature film “Fantasia.” The “Fanfare” is indeed that: an exercise for brasses and chosen to show off the BSO’s brass section, which distinguished itself.

As did the woodwinds in “Serenade for Winds,” an item Richard Strauss wrote when he was 17. Strauss showed his compositional mettle, proving he could showcase each instrument by highlighting its special sound qualities. The BSO brass distinguished itself by making the Strauss score come alive.

In an effort to encourage new composers, Gomez Guillen programmed the Indiana premiere of “Five — Six — Seven — Eight” (in a new orchestral version), written by Michael Schachter, an adventurous American composer/pianist/scholar/educator. The score enters different stylistic and period musical worlds and presents musicians with wickedly tricky games involving metrics and pace. Our Bloomington musicians, carefully guided, made it through the thickets famously.

Competition winner Phillip Hammond distinguished himself with a sparkling account of the Finale from Max Bruch’s popular Violin Concerto No. 1. Young Master Hammond has studied with Brenda Brenner at the IU String Academy and with Mimi Zweig as member of the Violin Virtuosi. He’s expertly trained. His technique excels and features solid control. In addition, a natural gift allows him to give that violin of his a fetching sound, that of a blooming professional. Together, those attributes made for a bravura presentation of Bruch’s music.

The concert windup, Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony, contains 45 minutes of challenges for players, individually and as an ensemble. It also contains 45 minutes of sheer passion for a listener. Perhaps the composer sensed it: this “Pathetique” would be his last. In its pages, Tchaikovsky seems to have explored his own life, its griefs more than happier times, but the whole is there for the listening in music of great beauty. He conducted the symphony’s first performance in 1893 and died nine days later.

Maestro Gomez Guillen had the musicians play with both warmth and fire. The contemplative, introspective moments were calmly and sensitively drawn. Memory-laden expositions engendered lyricism and peace. Tensions and troubles and turmoil brought the orchestra to chilling climaxes. And Gomez Guillen put them all together, in a compellingly sweeping performance that all involved could be proud of.

One never knows hereabouts how long artistic relationships will last. The talented, such as Gomez Guillen, stay for a while, usually on the road to somewhere else. They’re here to study at the university or are part of a family with someone else studying. Then, they’ll be called on. That is likely the BSO/conductor situation. But for now, the orchestra exists and its conductor is here, and they make for a splendid team. That’s lucky for us who live in the area and consume the music. We’ll benefit from the combine while it lasts, hoping it will continue for a longer rather than shorter while.