LAS VEGAS—Bruce Hanson, retired high school music department chairman, was delighted to see the afternoon performance of Shen Yun Performing Arts at Reynolds Hall on Saturday, March 16.
“I thought it was brilliant!” said Mr. Hanson.
Bruce George Hanson graduated from the University of Michigan in 1978 with a Masters in Music. He served as chairman of the music department at a suburban Chicago high school for 28 years, and he taught music and directed the orchestra there. He is also an arranger, a composer, and an accomplished bassist.
New York-based Shen Yun was founded in 2006 with the mission “to revive the true, divinely inspired culture of China and share it with the world,” according to the company’s website.
“A Shen Yun performance features the world’s foremost classically trained dancers, a unique orchestra blending East and West, and dazzling animated backdrops—together creating one spectacular performance,” says the website.
Mr. Hanson enjoyed Shen Yun’s beautiful handmade costumes. “I thought the costumes were wonderful,” he said. “I thought they were very colorful.”
As a musician, Mr. Hanson appreciated the intricate musical arrangement and the talented solo singers. “The orchestration, combining the erhu and the traditional Western instruments was just brilliantly done,“ said Mr. Hanson. ”I also enjoyed the singing. The pianist was very brilliant, and the vocalists using a Western, open vowel kind of singing style was something that I enjoyed greatly.”
Mr. Hanson was amazed at Shen Yun’s classical Chinese dancing and choreography. “I thought the dynamics of the dancers were just brilliant,” he said. “The choreography was stunning to see.”
The coordination between Shen Yun’s performers also impressed Mr. Hanson. “The combination of the dancers and the musicians was brilliantly executed. [It was a] very tight, very clean execution.”
Mr. Hanson encouraged everyone to come and experience a Shen Yun performance.
“I would recommend to anybody to come out and see this, especially here in Vegas, to see all the different contrast and what you’re doing,” said Mr. Hanson. “It’s a great show! Come out and enjoy it!”
Reporting by Mandy Huang, Lu Rusong and Sarah Le.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. Shen Yun Performing Arts International Company is performing in Las Vegas, at Reynolds Hall, in the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, March 15–17. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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