SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Retired Seattle Symphony Musicians Praise Shen Yun

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Retired Seattle Symphony Musicians Praise Shen Yun
Judy and Dave Kriewall at the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall on April 3, 2024. Frank Zhang/The Epoch Times

SEATTLE—Making music in a high-caliber orchestra for decades is a gratifying job. Dave and Judy Kriewall are retired musicians from the Seattle Symphony, and they experienced Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Marion Oliver McCaw Hall on April 3.

“My wife played flute in the Seattle Symphony for many years. And I played French horn,” said Mr. Kriewall.

Shen Yun is based in New York and each of its eight companies includes an orchestra.

“I’m listening to the orchestra. It’s so light and clear. The registrations and the Chinese flavor of it ... is different from the Western culture a bit. But it’s very beautiful,” commented Mr. Kriewall.

The orchestra works closely with the dancers to deliver music at a comfortable tempo for every venue. Mr. Kriewall was pleased to see young artists dedicated to their art.

“It’s very inspiring to see this life in young people and their dedication and their passion,” he said.

The dancers are trained in classical Chinese dance, one of the most comprehensive dance systems in the world.

“Just beautiful dance—a beautiful picture of Chinese culture,” said Mrs. Kriewall.

Classical Chinese dance requires that artists train rigorously. This dance form focuses on bearing, form, dance technique, and tumbling techniques.

“I envy their flexibility and their work ethic. I wish I was young again,” Mr. Kriewall laughed.

“Beautiful. So graceful. Such beautiful costumes and things,” Mrs. Kriewall added.

Shen Yun’s mission is to revive 5,000 years of Chinese culture and tradition. When communism took control in China, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) systematically destroyed and distorted Chinese history and culture.

Well, I think we’re lost without tradition. We’ve become unmoored. And you see that happening especially in Western culture. Now I see it in Chinese culture, too,” said Mr. Kriewall.

Shen Yun is dedicated to showing the true face of the CCP to audiences around the world, and because of its truthful depiction, Shen Yun is unable to perform in China today.

“Communism takes everything away from people. You have no personal property. You don’t even have your own thoughts anymore. It all has to be obedient to the government. And it’s not freedom,” said Mr. Kriewall.

The couple also shared that Shen Yun has reminded them of the importance of having beauty in the world.

Mr. Kriewall shared that Shen Yun has shown him “hope that we can return to a more normal, human, respectful culture [and] return to beauty and away from the ugliness and the materialism of our current culture.”

Reporting by Frank Zhang and Maria Han.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.
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