RICHARDSON, Texas—Music is a living, breathing art form, and for musician Carmelo Santini, lead guitarist of a regional gospel funk band, the music of Shen Yun Performing Arts took him through a journey of drama, balance, and immense energy. “I think [the music] anchors the entire show together. It’s the centerpiece of the show and it’s incredible,” Santini said.“I could talk about the music for, I’m sure, at least thirty minutes.” New York-based Shen Yun features a live orchestra that uses classical western instruments as the foundation of the orchestra while highlighting traditional Chinese instruments, such as the pipa and the erhu. “The textures that they put together—the fusion of East and West—is really interesting and seamless,” Santini commented. “The composition and the backdrop with the story that the choreographer tells is really just brought to life by the music … the way that they sync together. “I never say …