CHICAGO—Everything worked out just fine for Ken Malecha. After finding out that the Shen Yun Orchestra would be in Florida soon, the retired sales manager for MicroMatic wanted to hear it. But he realized he and wife would be in Chicago at the same that Shen Yun would be there. Even better, it was his wife’s birthday. And, she is Chinese.
He thought to himself, why not “go with someone who would enjoy it more?”
“The Shen Yun Orchestra combines the spirit, beauty, and distinctiveness of Chinese music with the precision, power, and grandeur of a Western symphony orchestra. The result—two great traditions producing one refreshing sound,” according to the orchestra’s website.
Thus, the concert had Western music to fit his taste and Chinese music to fit hers.
Mr. Malecha’s wife, Nancy Ku, explained that her husband loves orchestral music and goes whenever he has the chance. Ms. Ku is the senior marketing director of Transamerica World Financial, a medical insurance firm.
“It was excellent,” Mr. Malecha said of the combination of instruments. A “good mixture.”
“I mean to have the instruments I am used to and the other instruments that I have no idea of their names, but they blended out the sounds together very well,” he said.
For Ms. Ku, the sound was very pleasant. Sometimes she said the Chinese sound was distinct—other times more blended.
Mr. Malecha will recommend the concert to his cousin in Sarasota, Fla., where the orchestra will be next week.
Mrs. Ku only added “I enjoyed it—the music, very enjoyable.”
The 2014 Shen Yun Orchestra tour encompasses seven cities, with two cities remaining with Miami, on Oct. 25, and Sarasota, on Oct. 27.
Reporting by Valerie Avore and Sharon Kilarski
New York-based Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra comprises musicians from the four Shen Yun Performing Arts touring companies. Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time.
The orchestra’s North American tour runs through Oct. 27. For more information, visit http://www.shenyunperformingarts.org/symphony