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Shen Yun Symphony

Shen Yun's regular performances, visual cornucopias of traditional Chinese dance, are a definite must-see. Now the group's bringing something a little different, the Shen Yun Symphony. The current tour is a strictly symphonic outing that's a unique meshing of Western and Eastern musical styles. While the music was simply the accompaniment to the dance performances, now the music takes center stage, effortlessly combining Chinese instruments like the two-stringed erhu and the plucked pipa with Western symphonic brass, percussion and strings. The Chinese compositions draw on the rich array of legends from China, as well as folk tunes that have survived for millennia. In addition to this taste of the Far East, Shen Yun is also presenting works by composers such as Tchaikovsky and Beethoven. Joining the instrumentalist will be vocalists who use a distinctive and murderously difficult style of bel canto singing that allows the same power and range of Western operatic pieces but loses none of the proper Chinese diction.

2 and 7 p.m. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, 615 Louisiana. For information, call 713-632-8100 or visit symphony.shenyun.com. $39 to $129.
Sun., Oct. 13, 2 & 7 p.m., 2013

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