BOSTON—Musician Betty Pugsly is a fan of Shen Yun Performing Arts, and was glad to bring her son to a performance at the Citi Wang Theatre, to see it for her third time Sunday, Mar. 2.

Ms. Pugsly has played the piano and organ for 65 years and taught extensively, serving as the elected choir director for her church and writing original piano composition books for teaching.

As a trained musician, New York-based Shen Yun’s orchestra was a treat for Ms. Pugsly, who particularly liked hearing the traditional Chinese instruments blended into a full western symphony.

“Those are very beautiful,” Ms. Pugsly said. “It’s a whole different sense because it’s more of what I would say [is] modal in concept.”

“It doesnt really have a home tone like western music does,” Ms. Pugsly explained. “It pushes and pulls. It has a circular sort of sense to it.”

While Western instruments focus on harmony, Chinese instruments focus on the distinct flavor of individual instruments, a Shen Yun conductor explained to Epoch Times in a previous interview.

Another aspect of Shen Yun that keeps Ms. Pugsly and her friend coming back every year they can is the ethnic and folk dances performed every year, showcasing some of the 50-plus minority groups across China.

“That gives me the feeling I’m looking at sort of the inner heart of the culture of China,” Ms. Pugsly said.

“You get a feel for the culture and what’s been maintained for so many years,” Ms. Pugsley said. “[It] gives me more of a feeling that I’m touching more of the central heart of china, and that I really love.”

Reporting by Sophia Zheng and Catherine Yang

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit Shen Yun Performing Arts.

The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.