SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Composer in Modesto Loves the Music of Shen Yun

Jan 09, 2025

MODESTO, Calif.—Music is a universal language and the music of Shen Yun Performing Arts spoke to Robert Stone, composer and teacher based in Modesto.

“I try to tell a story with the music. And some people do music for music’s sake. That’s fine. But if it has nothing more to say, then it’s not saying enough,” said Mr. Stone.

Shen Yun is based in New York, and its mission is to revive 5,000 years of Chinese civilization through beautiful storytelling.

“I loved it. It’s very nice, very impressive. I love history, I love dancing, I love all that. I love the music,” said Mr. Stone.

Shen Yun’s live orchestra is an ensemble that consists of traditional Chinese and classical Western instruments. The unique combination produces a sound that is unmatched.

“It’s very expressive. So what I saw matched the dancing really well and I’m a person that likes music that is not overly dissonant. That music was all pleasant. It’s just wonderful to listen to. And it’s a wonderful mixture of cultures too, because I am not as familiar with the Chinese instruments, but they’re wonderful, and I loved how it all just blended,” Mr. Stone said.

One instrument that has a moment under the spotlight is the erhu, a traditional Chinese instrument with two strings.

“That solo that she did on stage was incredible,” he said about the erhu soloist.

China’s 5,000 years of history make it one of the longest-running civilizations in the world. Mr. Stone said that history contains lessons that everyone should learn.

“I love that because I think we need to look at our history, all of it. There’s a lot of beauty in history, in our culture. And we are so forgetful, and we need to be reminded of things often and not just once. That’s why storytelling is so great. I love cultural stories,” he said.

Shen Yun uses beautiful dance and music to portray uplifting tales from Chinese literature, myth, and legend.

“It’s a very good message. We could all use a little bit more peace and love. I’m a musician. If everybody was as busy as I am, they wouldn’t have enough time to get angry. And I would say that’s true for any art,” said Mr. Stone.

Reporting by Shu Nan 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.