SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun Orchestra Leaves Audience Breathless

Oct 04, 2014
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Shen Yun Orchestra Leaves Audience Breathless
Erhu virtuosos performing during a Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra concert at Boston Symphony Hall Oct. 4. (Edward Dai/Epoch Times)

BOSTON—During the kick-off to Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra’s third season at Boston Symphony Hall, audience members from diverse backgrounds were treated to a unique blend of East and West heard nowhere else.

A computer programmer and musician, Peter Davos thoroughly enjoyed the show. In his job, Mr. Davos works on proton therapy equipment to treat cancer. In music, he plays the viola, violin, and organ. 

Mr. Davos observed that the show was well-equipped with conductors. “One of them was trained in St. Petersburg in Russia, the other conductor is also very impressive,” he said.

The orchestra performed originals from Shen Yun Performing Arts and classics by Dvorak, Glinka, and others. Classical Chinese instruments, such as the pipa and erhu, were infused into a full Western orchestra of about 100 musicians.

Mr. Davos commented that he thought the effect was a success. 

He said, “I know it’s difficult to combine the two cultures because they make different assumptions about music. They have different musical styles. But I think it’s very successful as a combination.”

Mr. Davos spoke of the special appeal that the erhu, a two-stringed fiddle with a wide range of sound, had for him and others who had never heard it before.

“I love the sound of the instrument, in particular, the phrasing,” Mr. Davos said. “It’s a different kind of phrasing than we have with Western instruments. It has a very beautiful tone to it, and it’s very attractive.”

Another concert goer came out of the Symphony Hall highly satisfied.

“Couldn’t ask for anything better,” Bill Kendall, who formerly worked in finance and banking before he retired. 

Mr. Kendall joked that although he has a breathing problem that surfaces when he walks a distance, the show left him more breathless than walking. 

“In a good sense, yes, yes,” Mr. Kendall added. 

Reporting by NTD Television and Shannon Liao

Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra is on a seven-city tour with performances in Boston, New York, Washington D.C., Toronto, Chicago, Miami, and Sarasota, from Oct. 4–27. For more information, visit  Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra