WASHINGTON—Clarinetist and music teacher Dr. Hunt attended Shen Yun’s Friday, Jan. 22, performance at the Kennedy Center.
Dr. Hunt, who earned a Doctorate of Musical Arts from The Julliard School, performs in solo and chamber music concerts throughout the United States and abroad. He initially became interested in music in order to “refine my soul,” he said.
“I’m a musician here in Washington, DC, a clarinetist. So I have a special interest in the orchestra. I really enjoyed hearing them play. Especially the combination of the Chinese traditional instruments and western instruments,” he said.
“One of the things I loved was the erhu,” he said.
The erhu is a two-stringed bowed Chinese instrument held on the lap of the player. When played slowly, it has a somewhat mournful sound.
“The Chinese erhu was so moving. It went right into my heart every time it played, especially on the stage,” he said.
Dr. Hunt was referring to “Saving the Predestined” performed by erhu soloist Xiaochun Qi.
“It was just like a human voice right going to my soul and to my heart. It was so amazing to hear it with the dancers and on its own.”
“That was one of the very moving feelings I got from it, as well as the dancing and the costumes,” he said. “One of the parts I thought was really moving was the Heavenly Maidens.”
“The dry ice and costumes were amazing. What they did with it— the choreography—I found that to be very uplifting, because, for me, music is a very spiritual activity,” he said.
Dr. Hunt loves to teach, and “I love to work with singers, chamber music small groups; I really enjoy that the most. Sometimes we get caught in human competition and trying to have a better technique. The real beauty, the real essence of music, is in the soul,” he said.
Additional reporting contributed by Lisa Fan
Shen Yun Performing Arts will be performing at the Kennedy Center Opera House through January 24.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Shen Yun Performing Arts. For more information, please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
