Eric Shumsky has attended two Divine Performing Arts in New York City, and he cannot find enough grand words to describe them.
Shumsky, an acclaimed violist who has performed and taught extensively on both sides of the Atlantic, is the son of legendary violinist Oscar Shumsky.
On the afternoon of February 9, Eric was at Radio City Music Hall to take in Divine Performing Arts' Chinese New Year Splendor. (He earlier took in the company's Holiday Wonders show, which played in December at the Beacon Theater.) Shomsky was captivated by the dances and the music in the Splendor , praising the lead dancer, the orchestra, and soloist Xiaochun Qi, who plays the two-stringed erhu. Shomsky, who runs a distribution company for recordings of stringed instruments, says the world's classical string players can take a lesson from Qi "in the essence of expression."
Leaving the theatre, Shumsky hand-wrote his praise of the show and delivered it to our reporter. Not satisfied, he returned home and two hours later sent us the following email.
"The Chinese New Year Splendor is an evening of performance never to forget!
"Having seen the first Winter Divine Performing Arts show at the Beacon, it was with great pleasure to attend their equally spectacular show at Radio City on February 9.
"While I would have preferred the audience lights to be dimmed a bit more and the announcers' microphones turned down a bit, I was mesmerized immediately with the incredibly felt performances from all the artists.
"Having been raised with a great father, one of the consummate artists of violin the world has known (Oscar Shumsky 1917-2000, Shumskymusic.com), I was always told and understood that feeling above all is most important. Striving for cleanliness and exactness of performance is fine but the end result must be heartfelt and meaningful.
"The spectacular array of talent from beautifully choreographed dance works, included Lady of the Moon inspired by a Chinese legend, to Forsythia In Spring, portraying the flower welcoming spring. Lightness and Grace could not have been more aptly titled. Dancers danced suspended in thin air, as if on clouds!
"Sets with changing and imaginative backgrounds superimposed dancing figures and beautiful scenery, colored by China's profound past.
"I loved especially the lead dance work of Michelle Ren, who is an artist the minute she walks on stage. Her grace is an understatement in elegance, simplicity, and beauty, and her presence divine splendor.
"I don't have room here for all the great contributors. The music, a mélange of east and west, quickly got to the underlying meaning behind each drama to be depicted. Junyi Tan, Xuan Tong, Yuan Gao, Yu Deng and Ningfang Chen must be given enormous credit for their original and special music.
"And I would be leaving out a great part of the show. The elegant and artistic Erhu player: Xiaochun Qi.
"I know most of the classical string players performing today and I dare say most of them could take lessons in the essence of expression. The little girl can express more feelings from her simple little instrument than years of conservatory and PR hype, and this includes most of the big name performers on today's concert circuits. She really feels the music—the goose bumps on my arm proved it. I know Dad would have loved this kind of playing and feeling.
"I will be back and bring my friends too!"
Eric Shumsky
***
The Chinese New Year Splendor continues in New York through Saturday, Feb. 9.
For other shows in the Divine Performing Arts world tour, please visit: http://www.divineperformingarts.com/
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of the Chinese New Year Splendor.
Feeds