“We were very lucky to be right in the front row, so we got to see the orchestra the entire time. The absolute professionalism and discipline of these musicians were just incredible. It was truly a joy to see,” he said.

“[The music] was emotional and clear and crisp. It’s very pleasing to the ear. Whether you’re in the front of the theatre or the back—it just hits you.”

Mr. Castaneda added that “they talked about how music is healing, and at one point it was used as medicine to heal people. I think that’s still true today—with a show like this—it’s very true.”

“[Shen Yun] shared an important message for people all over the world.”

Ancient Chinese people were very spiritual and had a deep belief in the divine. For thousands of years, their values and day-to-day actions were strictly governed by the teachings of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism.

Mr. Castaneda loved this aspect of Shen Yun and thought it was amazing how the performers told their stories with basically no speaking at all.

Mr. Castaneda’s most significant takeaway from the evening was that you should “always, always go for what you believe in and share music no matter what you’re going through in your life.”

“Art and expression are universal. That’s very important.”