YUNLIN, Taiwan—Liu Chien-kuo, a local legislator who is known for his support of human rights and equality, saw Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra at Yunlin Culture Department Performance Hall on Sept. 26. After the performance, he said he believed the orchestra could serve a greater cause.
“I hope everyone of us can all let others know about the importance of peace and freedom in this music,” said Mr. Liu, who said that though many today live a comfortable life, there are countless others who continued to be persecuted in the world.
As for precisely what it was about the music that he heard, a happy Mr. Liu said the pieces had “mind-blowing melodies” that made him feel “truly remarkable.”
The symphony orchestra, part of Shen Yun’s flagship dance company, debuted in Asia for the first time this year, after four years of touring cities in North America. The orchestra, according to the company’s website, blends the spirit of Chinese music with the power of a Western orchestra.
From what he could see from the musicians, Mr. Liu said that they surely had “devoted themselves to learning, with the hope of bringing people better music that could touch them.”
He added that he was certain many people in the audience truly felt that the performance was “magnificent,” given the thunderous cheers for encores after it ended.
In an interview on Shen Yun’s website, Chiu Miao-tzu, a pipa player from Taiwan, said that she had no doubt people of East Asian backgrounds would embrace the combination of the two musical traditions, given how they would discover some “flavors and styles of music” were Chinese, while being “spellbound” by the new idea of bringing the East and West together.
Needless to say, Mr. Liu was moved by the two pieces “Green Mountain” and “Taiwan Dance,” both featuring Taiwan’s indigenous folk melodies. He was glad to see his own culture being presented on the stage.
He also liked the performance by the vocalists—their ability to hit high notes and the inspirational messages behind the lyrics impressed him, and he especially noted the power of their voices.
He encouraged more people to come to enjoy the performance firsthand, for the “inspirational music” would surely “inspire people and make them contemplate many things.”
Reporting by Frank Fang and Billy Shyu
New York-based Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra comprises musicians from the four Shen Yun Performing Arts touring companies. For information about the October performances, visit: ShenYun.com/Symphony
The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the company’s inception in 2006.
