SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Violinist Appreciates Shen Yun’s Music

Mar 28, 2014
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Violinist Appreciates Shen Yun’s Music

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—Violinist Mathew Vaughn was impressed with the music at Shen Yun Performing Arts’ March 27 performance at Popejoy Hall.

“Very well produced, very well connected,” he said of the music at the performance. “Very wonderful players.”

Mr. Vaughn is violin faculty and string coach at Santa Fe University of Art and Design. He came to the show with his friend, Kate.

Shen Yun uses classical Chinese and ethnic dance, along with music, to bring to life China’s 5,000 years of history. Through short dance pieces and solo musical performances, China’s culture is relived on stage.

“The dancers are amazing,” said Mr. Vaughn. “I just love dancing movements.”

Classical Chinese dance has been developed over the millennia of Chinese civilization, and is capable of a great range of expression. The Shen Yun website explains, “China’s deep cultural traditions are contained in classical Chinese dance, allowing its movements to be richly expressive, such that the personalities and feelings of characters can be portrayed with unparalleled clarity. It is therefore capable of depicting scenes from any time period, whether ancient or modern, Eastern or Western, in a strikingly vivid way.”

Supporting each dance are unique costumes, along with a digital backdrop that uses animations to become a part of the dance, with performers interacting with the screen.

“Wonderful colors and then the interactive videos are really great,” said Mr. Vaughn.

The Shen Yun website gives some more details on the backdrops: “The backdrops are magical windows to completely different realms. From vast open grasslands in one dance to the stately elegance of Tang Dynasty pavilions in another; from dusty yellow battlegrounds to tropical beaches to Himalayan peaks to picturesque scenery of the Yellow River Delta—the digital projection infinitely expands and transforms the stage.”

But it was the music most of all that touched Mr. Vaughn. “Oh, it’s wonderful,” he said.

Reporting by Fanny Qiu and Ben Bendig

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