East Meets West: Music That Unites Us in Divided Times | Courageously Speaking w/ Dr. Tianxi Wen

What happens when music becomes a bridge in a divided world? In this powerful episode, we sit down with Dr. Tianxi Wen, founder of UNLV's World Music Chamber Ensemble, to explore how the East and the West can meet in harmony through sound. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s timeless truth—“Where words fail, music speaks”—she shares why music remains one of the most powerful ways to unite cultures when society feels increasingly divided.She also offers an honest reflection on the cost of staying devoted to art: while many gifted musicians are forced to leave in order to survive, a few remain because purpose for them calls louder than profit. Nevertheless, it is not a sacrifice she asks others to make, but one she deeply respects—because those who continue often do so out of quiet conviction, preserving beauty, meaning, and cultural memory in a world that does not always reward what matters most.