SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun Lyrics Inspire and Intrigue

Oct 22, 2014
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Shen Yun Lyrics Inspire and Intrigue
Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra is given a standing ovation at the end of its performance at the Chicago Symphony Center Orchestra Hall, on Oct. 21. (Edward Dai/Epoch Times)

CHICAGO—“I thought it was very moving,” was the first thing Tara Duque said about her experience hearing Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra and its vocalists.

The symphony is touring the country with musicians from each of its four performing arts’ companies and stopped in Chicago at the Chicago Symphony Center Orchestra Hall for a single performance on Oct. 21.

Shen Yun brings a Chinese sound to a full Western orchestra by including a few choice traditional Chinese instruments. The company also travels with three award-winning vocalists.

Ms. Duque is Chicago’s director of expansion for Money Smart Movement. She is back in Chicago after a long absence and her sister brought her to the concert as a birthday present.

Hearing Chinese music and seeing some of the traditional instruments was new for her. Most interesting, however, were the lyrics to the songs which were sung in Chinese but translated in the program.

“The text they had to go along with the music, with the vocals, was very inspiring and very passionate, so I enjoyed that very much.”

The texts she is referring to are sacred poems describing humanity’s relationship to heaven—particularly from the perspective of Falun Gong, a spiritual practice that emphasizes truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance.

Tara Duque and friends after attending the Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra's performance at the Chicago Symphony Center Orchestra Hall, on Oct. 12. (Ying Wan/Epoch Times)
Tara Duque and friends after attending the Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra's performance at the Chicago Symphony Center Orchestra Hall, on Oct. 12. (Ying Wan/Epoch Times)

“The vocals were very inspiring to me. So I’m naturally more interested in the practice that they were talking about here,” she said.

The 2014 Shen Yun Orchestra tour encompasses seven cities, with two cities remaining with Miami, on Oct. 25, and Sarasota, on Oct. 27.

Reporting by Wan Yin and Sharon Kilarski

New York-based Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra comprises musicians from the four Shen Yun Performing Arts touring companies. Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time.

The orchestra’s North American tour runs through Oct. 27. For more information, visit http://www.shenyunperformingarts.org/symphony