A system of N interacting bosons or fermions in a two-dimensional harmonic potential (or, equivalently, magnetic field) whose states are projected onto the lowest Landau level is considered. Generic expressions are derived for matrix elements of any interaction, in the basis of angular momentum eigenstates. For the fermion ground state (N=1 Laughlin state), this makes it possible to exactly calculate its energy all the way up to the mesoscopic regime N ~ 1000. It is also shown that for N = 3 and Coulomb interaction, several rational low-lying values of energy exist, for bosons and fermions alike.