Right after intermission, the group was performing Jean Francaix's "Quintet No. 2," when the lights flickered on stage, then went out. While generators kept the house lights on, the stage went dark, so the musicians could not read their music.

But not for long. Five audience members, armed with flashlights, went on stage to provide light for the players. The flashlight brigade included Chris and Robin Hayden, Susan Wilson, Bill Muench and 13-year-old Scott Van De Verg, who enabled musicians Susan McGinn, Scott Janusch, Jim Moffitt, Marsha Schweitzer and Jonathan Parrish to complete the piece.

For safety reasons, the concert was cut short by theater manager Tom Holowach, who directed the audience to the exits.

Chamber Music Hawai'i returns to Paliku Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Dec.11 for a program of Mozart and Dohnanyi.