Professional Musician ‘Blown Away’ by Shen Yun Performance in Tennessee

May 20, 2025Shen Yun Audience

Nashville experienced 5,000 years of Chinese civilization when Shen Yun Performing Arts graced the stage from May 10 to 11. Professional drummer and composer Pete Parada saw the performance at the Fisher Center.

“I loved the spiritual aspect of the show,” Mr. Parada said.

“The musicianship was incredible, and the vocalists were—I was not ready for that,” the American drummer said.

“The sound that came out of their bodies,” he noted, saying that it was unexpected, especially from the baritone.

“The last notes that he hit almost pulled me out of my chair. I was not expecting it. It was like almost getting blown back from the stage. I loved it,” Mr. Parada said.

Other audience members, such as Charles Benneyworth, a physician, also commended Shen Yun.

“Just the choreography, and the color, the vibrancy, the beauty, the grace,” Dr. Benneyworth pointed out.

Blu Wyatt, former host of the BluBerry Bliss podcast, said the experience was “multisensory.”

“I loved it. It was beautiful. Spectacular,” Ms. Wyatt said. “The costumes were electric. They were alive.”

“Everything was so elegant and well put together. Very well put together,” she said.

Since 2006, Shen Yun has been trying to revive genuine traditional Chinese culture, one that was known to be divinely inspired.

Masato Koizumi, a flight science engineer, drove seven hours from Greensboro, North Carolina, just to see the performance.

“My experience is something more profound and deep,” Mr. Koizumi said.

“What really intrigued me about the Shen Yun performance is how you can convey virtue or morality like truthfulness, compassion, forbearance. That's the topics of Falun Dafa,” he said.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual discipline that teaches the three principles of truth, compassion, and tolerance. Shen Yun artists also practice Falun Gong, and often include in their programs stories set in modern-day China, showing the courage and faith of such practitioners and the Chinese people who hold onto traditional culture.

Sarah Parada, writer and married to drummer Pete Parada, said she was crying during the performance.

“I think it was just so new. I haven’t ever experienced anything like that,” Mrs. Parada said. “The dancing, the movement, and that style of storytelling I’ve never seen.”

Based in New York, Shen Yun has grown from one to eight companies that tour the world simultaneously.

“It’s an incredible experience that you should just go in even if you don’t know anything about it,” Mr. Parada said.

“Just take it in. I didn’t know what to expect, and I was blown away. I’m so, so glad that we got to experience that,” he added.

Ms. Wyatt would recommend Shen Yun to others.

“I would say go. Experience it. See it. Taste it. Smell it. Hear the sounds, the music, the voices, the orchestra, everything. It just all came together,” she said.

Angela Benneyworth, a pharmacist, gave the performance “a 10.”

Her husband, Mr. Benneyworth, said, “absolutely fantastic. Must come see.”

NTD News, Nashville, Tennessee

NTD is a media sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts, covering audience reactions since 2006.