Conductor: ‘Not only an artistic but [a] spiritual endeavor’

HOUSTON—Conductor Chen is quite familiar with classical symphonies. While attending the Divine Performing Arts show in Houston, Mr. Chen found one of the most fascinating aspects of the Divine Performing Arts to be the orchestra.

“I thought the show was not only interesting but informative and actually educational at the same time,” he said.

Mr. Chen is the conductor for the Maggini String Orchestra in Houston. A graduate of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, he was recently appointed resident conductor of the European Opera. Mr. Chen has conducted symphonies by Beethoven, Schumann, and Tchaikovsky.

Mr. Chen said that the combining of Eastern and Western instruments and orchestrating it into Eastern melodies was very interesting.

“You definitely don’t have horns, trumpets, and trombones in Eastern orchestration,” he said. “I thought it was very effective.”

“It’s wonderful, the different sounds,” said Mr. Chen. “That’s what the world is all about right? Getting smaller and smaller.”

He not only enjoyed the music but also the dances. As a ballet fan, Mr. Chen believes the movements of the dancers, especially when combined with the costumes, enhanced the show.

The costume, he explains, harmonized with the themes expressed in the performance and noted the fan dance depicting the arrival of spring as a number he particularly enjoyed.

“I thought it was very well organized how the different themes play part to the costumes,” said Mr. Chen.

“Like the flower representing spring and how the ladies used the fan to open up. Sometimes musicians use a word, which means to shake with beautiful sparkles and shine. I thought it was very beautiful and atmospheric for the show.”

The spirituality of the performances has also struck Mr. Chen as something both unexpected and unforgettable.

“The Divine Performing Arts has shown that there is not only an artistic but [a] spiritual endeavor as well,” he said.
“All things that are worthwhile have that profound spiritual aspect. I was very pleased to see that,” he said.

  For more information please visit DivinePerformingArts.org