【推荐2】Experience Creative Writing Academy

Do you love creative writing? Oxford Scholastica’s Experience Creative Writing Academy will develop your writing skills while giving you a genuine university experience. Oxford has long inspired many of the greatest writers — from C.S. Lewis to J.R.R. Tolkien. Give yourself, the chance to let Oxford’s magic work its way into your own writing skills.

Location: University of Oxford campus

Ages: 16-18

Length: 2 weeks

Dates: 2nd-15thJuly, 16th-29th July, 30th July-12th August 2023

Receive: Graduation Certificate & Letter of Recommendation

Our courses combine Oxford-style teaching with practical challenges and debates. Small class sizes (Maximum 15 students) and expert tutors help you dive deep into your chosen subject area. By taking our Experience Creative Writing courses, you’ll get to：

● Master key concepts such a show to write effective dialogue, create fictional worlds and develop a book series — all under the guidance of one of our expert tutors.

● Develop skills in high demand by universities and employers, such as public speaking, critical thinking and teamwork, via our Masterclasses.

● Puzzle through the challenges that writers face when writing a book series.

● Work collaboratively with your peers in a “writer’s room” to come up with elements for an ongoing book series.

Ready for a life-changing educational experience? Students from around the world have already registered for our courses this year. Apply in minutes and reserve a spot for Oxford’s rated summer school programs. Join them and apply now. Click here.

【推荐1】Lockdown around the world has been a difficult and scary time for many people, but has also provided some of us with the blessing of a little extra time to do what we enjoy, whether that be baking, gardening or listening to more music. Here are four new classical releases we think are perfect additions to your Lockdown Library.

Easter is a special time for classical music, Award-winning choir Tenebrae with their director Nigel Short has released a recording of music. This music was written to celebrate Holy Week — the week preceding Easter — which is often filled with joyous musical celebration. Have a listen and transport yourself to a heavenly location of your choosing!

Signumrecords. com

This recording has come at a poignant time indeed, following the sad passing of famed composer Penderecki just a few weeks ago. Penderecki was a pioneer of contemporary classical music, and certainly deserves to be celebrated for his incredible life achievements.

This collection of works spans more than 50 years of his career, from the iconic Threnody, to the Adagio for Strings, lovingly adapted from his Third Symphony.

Ipo, org, uk/recordings-and-gifts

Ian Venables is one of the UK's foremost art song composers, who's already written over 80 works in the genre. In this emotive cycle, Venables has set poetry to music to celebrate the timelessness of love, and in commemoration to those who died in the First World War. Accompanied by the pianist Graham Lloyd, this collection is sure to fill any house with a moving reflection of love, life and loss.

loverecords.com

Soprano Chen Reiss has rapidly established a reputation as one of the most impressive voices on the operatic stage. This year she's set to perform in two Beethoven operas at the state opera house in Vienna, coinciding with the composer's 250th birthday. Reiss believes that tackling this challenging performance has offered her, and in turn her listeners, a fascinating journey into the psyche of the young man writing for a better world.

onyxclassics, com

【推荐2】National Music Theater Competition

The 2022 National Music Theater Competition (NMTC) semifinal and final (决赛) rounds will be held in New York City in early January 2022.

As the first national competition for the music theater soloist (独奏者) seeking the best talent, NMTC has provided industry connections to past competitors and winners that have led to their success on Broadway and other places in these years. The final round is open to the public for $10 general admission seating and can be purchased at the door.

Prizes (each prize only for a person)

lst Prize: $5,000 PLUs a concert at the next NATS National Conference, $1,000 Gift Certificate from Hal Leonard, Career Management Services package from Stage Door Connections.

2nd Prize: $2,500 PLus a $500 Gift Certificate from Hal Leonard.

3rd Prize: $1 ,000 cash prize.

4th Prize: $750 cash prize.

Qualification

singers aged 20-28 as of September 15,2021

Entrance Procedure

Application requires payment of the $90 application fee (reduced entry fee for students of NATS Full or Associate members, $75 for these students). All application materials must be submitted by the deadline — September 15, 2021. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. No refund of application fees due to cancellation by the applicant will be allowed. After application, only online applicants have to upload their entry videos until October 15,2021.

Where to Audition (试镜)

Live Auditions-Date (s) and location (s)TBD (待定)

Online Auditions-Video submission deadline is October 15,2021.

Online application will be available on September 5, 2021. Online applicants will make a video that lasts up to 20 minutes from the list of the songs that will be published online.

【推荐3】Where Did Music Come From?

Look anywhere and you’ll find music. Without a single exception, every culture produces some form of it. Yet music’s origin remains one of the great secrets of human history.

The oldest known instruments are 42,000-year-old bone flutes discovered in caves in Germany. Music surely appeared earlier, but the problem is that music doesn’t fossilize and our brains don’t fossilize. With little hard evidence, scientists still discuss what evolutionary purpose music serves or whether it serves any purpose at all.

For many years, music researchers have more or less settled into two camps: those who believe the evolution of music is a biological adaptation, and those who believe it’s a cultural invention. In the latter argument, the music we love dearly is no more than “auditory cheesecake”, as evolutionary scientist Steven Pinker said. Rather than a biological adaptation in its own right, music is a pleasing byproduct of other adaptations, like language. “As far as biological cause and effect are concerned, music is useless,” Pinker said. “Music could disappear from our mankind and the rest of our lifestyle would be absolutely unchanged.”

Some found this conclusion too dismissive. After all, the capacity to make and enjoy music seems rooted in each of us, just like other valuable adaptations. “These days music is a profession, but even ordinary people who never had a music lesson have implicit knowledge of the structure of the music of their culture,” says Sandra Trehub, a scientist at the University of Toronto. What’s more, Trehub studies music sense in babies. They are strongly attracted to music, and they can even remember music months after hearing it. “You see these amazing abilities,” she says, “and you have to think that there is a biological foundation for it.”

That doesn’t necessarily mean we evolved that foundation for music, but many scientists have offered explanations for why we might have. Some argue music is a system for social relationships, helping us to exist together in united, well-functioning groups. Another possibility is that music originates from the relaxing sounds parents make to communicate with babies. Some researchers even argue that the earliest form of music may have given rise to language itself. Others think that music and language share a common ancestor.

Some have sought a way around the adaptation-invention difference. A musicologist Savage and his group tell the difference between music (a cultural product) and musicality (a biological foundation that allows us to create and appreciate music). This alone doesn’t explain the final origin of music, but it does allow room for both nature and nurture. They suggest that cultural music and biological musicality have developed together, in a kind of “gene-culture evolution”.

【推荐1】Chelmsford Sports Centre

Chelmsford Sports Centre is a community gym situated in the heart of North West Chelmsford, easily accessible by bike, car or public transport. We provide first-class facilities for the local community.

Features

Take advantage of the latest equipment, two free-weights area and a functional training zone! Our health and fitness team will support you to achieve your goals. If you want some one-to-one help in the gym, you can also book personal training sessions. Our gym is open to those aged 14 and over.

Accessibility

Our changing rooms are located on the ground floor, past reception and on the right-hand side. The first floor is currently closed for refurbishment (整修), and will be expanded to include a larger area as well as a larger variety of equipment. However, the ground floor is still open with a wide range of equipment for you to use.

Prices

We charge higher fares during peak hours.

– Peak fares: Monday to Friday between 07:00 and 09:00, and between 17:00 and 20:00

– Off-peak fares: at all other times

【推荐2】General Writing Workshops of Purdue University

The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we offer free workshops for all Purdue students and staff and users worldwide to get hands-on practice with different aspects of writing in an interactive, small-group setting.

Workshops are from 2:30-3:30 p. m., in HEAV 220, on the dates below. If a workshop needs to be rescheduled, the listed backup dates will be followed. To sign up, use the Group Programs tab in MyWCO by following the online scheduler.

Workshop details

Please note that we no longer accept questions about writing, citation, or grammar via e-mail. If you are affiliated with Purdue, you can get help by scheduling an appointment with a tutor.

【推荐3】Rules are everywhere. When you’re reading in the library, playing basketball on the playground or driving on the road, you’ll have to follow some rules. But have you ever read any rules on a plane? If you’re traveling by air in America, you may find the following criteria (标准).

Exit Seat Criteria

If you are sitting in an exit seat, read the information below.

You must：

1 Be at least 15 years old and healthy enough to offer help.

2 Be able to speak, read and understand English well.

3 Be able to go along a safe way from the emergency exit (紧急出口).

4 Be able to help others away from the plane.

You must not：

1 Take any pets like dogs, cats and so on.

2 Take someone that needs special care, such as a child.

If you cannot meet the criteria, ask crewmen (乘务员) to move you to another seat. You do not have to explain why, just say, “I do not want to sit in an exit seat.”