Musician: Shen Yun ‘There was a beautiful spirit’

Shen Yun performers and the orchestra receive a standing ovation, at a performance in early 2011. (Edward Dai/The Epoch Times)

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—“Music City” is the capital of American country music and songwriting. Countless famous songwriters, performers and players call Nashville home. Jamie Nichol is both a musician and a native. After he saw New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts on Feb. 25, he said: “The instrumentation, the arrangements, the vocals for the soloists, the nuance, the different instruments, and I can’t say enough, it’s just beautiful.”

His friend Lanny Glick, an artist, said the show at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center was “visually stunning, and the dances are exquisite, and the music is fascinating.”

The rest of the audience appeared to agree. They quickly rose to their feet and gave the performers a standing ovation at the conclusion of the performance. During the dance Lotus Leaves, one man shouted “Bravo!”

Mr. Nichol has been a musician and performer in Nashville for 40 years. His friend laughed and said he was older than he looks. Mr. Nichol plays percussion, currently with an ensemble, he said.

He said he “really liked the presence of all the performers. I really liked the diversity of the culture, the way it was presented and the audience clearly loved it too. There was a beautiful spirit that went back and forth, and I certainly hope that we have more of this.”

‘A brilliant, brilliant gift’

Mr. Glick said he felt grateful to the artists because “the sheer athleticism and the amazingly good choreography is just a brilliant, brilliant gift.”

Mr. Nichol said he felt that “this show was absolutely stunning, beautiful.”

Mr. Glick, a visual artist, responded to the costumes and scenery. He said: “The costumes are magnificent, most magnificent and the changes are just wonderfully done; each one is just so special.”

Overall, the experience of Shen Yun is “gorgeous, just gorgeous,” according to Mr. Glick.

Reporting by Sally Sun and Mary Silver.

Shen Yun Performing Arts, based in New York, tours the world on a mission to revive traditional Chinese culture. Shen Yun Performing Arts Touring Company will be in Nashville for one more performance on Feb. 26, at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center.

For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.