At 8:03 p.m., the lights dimmed and an expectant hush fell over the crowd of 6,800 at Hilton Coliseum. The symphony orchestra already sitting on the stage was dressed all in black, and the conductor stood to the side, patiently waiting for the cue.

Percussion, drums, a harp, three singers, about a dozen string musicians, a solo violinist, a flute player and other assorted musical instruments and musicians sat on the raised stage, surrounding a set of synthesizers and a huge piano.

Then, from the left side of the stage, Yanni leaped onto the stage in a blur of white and flying brown hair. Amidst the thunderous applause, he and the symphony attacked the first song of the three-hour concert Thursday night.

With his exotic good looks and his mellow and slightly accented voice, Yanni has mesmerized several of his female fans.

Thursday night, however, there was more to Yanni than just a fabulous mane of hair; there was a sincerity in his performance as he gave thousands of fans a show they will never forget.

His international ensemble of musicians compliments the wide variety of music he performs. His musicians come from all over the world, including Peru, Venezuela and Australia.

Yanni composes and arranges all the music he performs and records, and he likes to showcase unusual instruments such as the didgeridoo, flugelhorn and the doodook.

The music Yanni writes is usually inspired by an individual, an instrument or even a nightingale.

Often his songs are filled with catchy rhythms and huge crescendos. Many of his songs are reminiscent of the title song on a soundtrack that tries to capture the mood of a movie or performance.

All of the elements of Yanni’s compositions were tangible in his concert.

The concert featured many of the new songs from his latest CD release “Tribute” including “Dance With A Stranger,” “Tribute,” “Renegade,” “Waltz in 7/8,” “Nightingale” and “Niki Nana.”

Yanni’s first lyrical song, “Love Is All,” was also performed. He told the audience he had waited several years to release the song until he found the appropriate time. The song was first performed at the Taj Mahal, which he called “the greatest monument to love in the world.”

Yanni also said that in a shrinking world, “diversity should be embraced, not feared.” The applause that followed his remark indicated the crowd’s approval.

Some of Yanni’s older music was also showcased, including “Nostalgia.” He wrote this song while he was attending school in Minneapolis (working toward his psychology degree), and at the time, he was particularly homesick for Greece.

The concert also highlighted other musicians, including Karen Briggs, Pedro Eustache, Danny Reyes and Ramon Stagnaro. Singers Vann Johnson and Alfreda Gerald were in the spotlight with solos and duets throughout the concert.

Every song was played with emotion and the musicians showed enthusiasm while playing. During the middle of one song, the orchestra conductor picked up his violin and dueled with violinist Karen Briggs.

For several minutes they captivated the audience by going back and forth, playing faster and more furiously each time. The duel ended in a draw with a duet at the end.

The music quality was great and so was the volume, not loud enough to require ear plugs, but enough to drown out the people sitting behind. The stage was surrounded by dozens of lights that fanned into the audience and pulsed with color changes in time with the music.

The choice of music was great, though the momentum seemed slow until the last song before the encore — “Niki Nana.” Before playing, Yanni warned the audience that it might witness something unusual for one of his concerts — dance.

As the band played, half of the orchestra stood up and began singing and dancing. The musicians left their seats to swing each other around the stage while the audience clapped.

At first, only a few brave fans stood up and danced, but as the music grew louder and the audience became more excited, everyone began to dance.

It was a great ending to the concert. Smiling and with a bow, Yanni exited. Of course, the other musicians remained on the stage as the audience continued to scream and clap. A moment later Yanni reappeared, laughing, and came to the mike.

“You all didn’t really think I wasn’t coming back did you? It’s a little game we play — I leave and you yell really loud.”

After another song, Yanni began the “question-and-answer-part of the evening.” Fans yelled out their questions. Yanni told his last name (Chryssomallis), his age (43) and his favorite place to live (Greece, to find himself).

The questions ended when one fan asked for his phone number. Yanni responded by saying he doesn’t have one, because he doesn’t live in one place long enough.

Though the most common use for Yanni’s music at Iowa State is probably easy listening while cramming for an exam, many fans were thrilled with the opportunity to see him in person and to experience the music live.