COSTA MESA, Calif.—Harald Weiss has always been intrigued by Chinese music. But to hear it performed by a classical Western symphony orchestra that features traditional Chinese instruments was something he had never experienced before.

“It’s really very phenomenal,” Mr. Weiss said during intermission of the Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra concert at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall on Saturday evening.

Mr. Weiss, a marketing veteran, is currently the president of Technical Marketing Group. He has held a number of executive positions with different companies before his latest venture.

The Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra is the world’s only orchestra that combines both classical Western and Chinese instruments as its permanent members.

Using a Western symphony orchestra to present China’s authentic traditions is no easy task.

“It involves interpreting Chinese musical styles on Western musical instruments,” according to the concert program book.

“This has been quite an experience,” Mr. Weiss said, adding that he has heard blending of classical Western and Chinese musical traditions, but the works have been nowhere near as powerful as what Shen Yun has achieved.

The pieces performed by the orchestra includes both original compositions by Shen Yun’s artists as well as masterpieces of Western classical tradition.

Mr. Weiss found that with different pieces he experienced different feelings.

“Some of the music is very dreamy—you kind of go into a trance,” he said. “And other music is very, very powerful, so you feel totally energized.”

“I highly recommend [Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra] to anybody who loves music,” Mr. Weiss added.

Reporting by NTD Television and Omid Ghoreishi

Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra is on a seven-city tour with performances in Washington, D.C.; New York; Boston; Houston; Dallas; Los Angeles; and San Francisco, from Sept. 27–Oct. 22. For more information, visit Symphony.Shenyun.com