SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Musicians Applaud Shen Yun

May 01, 2025

5/1/2025Updated: 5/1/2025

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif.—Greg Grulikowski, his daughter Elizabeth, and her friend, Tate Pflum, drove all the way from Orange County to see Shen Yun Performing Arts on April 30, 2025.

“I thought the live orchestra was beautiful. I thought their combination of Western and Chinese classical instruments was very artful. And I thought that everything they presented was very well put together,” said Ms. Grulikowski, a music student at California Polytechnic State University.

New York-based Shen Yun’s live orchestra is a unique combination of traditional Chinese instruments and a classic Western ensemble.

“It was amazing. I loved all the different instruments that they put together and just how they played off each other. It was absolutely amazing,” said Mr. Pflum, who plays the euphonium.

One instrument that shone under the spotlight was the two-stringed erhu. This instrument was not foreign to Ms. Grulikowski.

“I thought it was a beautiful piece. I have learned about it throughout my entire life, just because music is very important to me. And so I thought it was really cool to get to see that soloistic piece,” she said.

Shen Yun’s artists are trained in classical Chinese dance, one of the most comprehensive dance systems in the world.

“It was amazing. The choreography between the dancers and the orchestra was just perfection. It was one of the best I’ve ever seen,” said Mr. Grulikowski, an automotive manager.

Classical Chinese dance requires its artists to master bearing, form, technique, and tumbling techniques before becoming truly adept at this dance form.

“It’s just incredible. The artistry, and the physicality, and the commitment that the dancers clearly have to their art shows through. It was phenomenal,” Mr. Grulikowski said.

Shen Yun’s mission is to revive 5,000 years of Chinese culture and civilization, to showcase what China was like before communism.

“I thought it was great. I learned some things as well. It was educational. Certainly, the cultural aspect was informative and enlightening,” Mr. Grulikowski said.

Father and daughter shared that they had meant to see Shen Yun since before the pandemic, but it took them six years to finally get to see it.

“I enjoyed it very much. It’s something we’ve been looking forward to for some time, and it certainly didn’t disappoint,” Mr. Grulikowski said.

Mr. Grulikowski also shared his wish for more people to experience Shen Yun.

“I hope that more people get to experience what they show. They’re clearly incredibly talented and passionate people, and it comes through. I would enjoy sharing some time over dinner or talking to them. I’m sure they'd be fascinating people to get to know,” he said.

Reporting by Alice Sun 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.