Yangko, a rural Chinese folk dance with a history
Yangko employs drumming, Suona, dancing and singing. Content is based
| A．Sing a song. | B．Write music. | C．Climb a mountain. |
1. What are the speakers mainly talking about?
| A．A language class. |
| B．A book. |
| C．A song. |
| A．She stayed alone. |
| B．Her husband came back. |
| C．She married someone else. |
| A．The man. |
| B．The woman. |
| C．The woman’s mother. |
4 . Born in a musical family in 1925 in New Orleans, Renald Richard spent his childhood filled with music. At the age of 13, he went to see a band perform at a church where he fell in love with trumpet(小号). So he started lessons on it, and later played it in the high school band. After high school, he was sent into military service and played his trumpet in the United States Navy Band. After ending up studying music at Xavier University of Louisiana, he played clubs on the famous Bourbon Street and also toured with many bands.
In 1954, Richard was approached by Jeff Brown, the manager of musician Ray Charles. He invited Richard to join Ray Charles’ new band. “To be selected by Ray Charles was an honor to me. Ray Charles was exacting.” said Richard, “He was a perfectionist and was rather demanding about his music.”
Renald Richard toured all over the South and West with Ray Charles. Sitting in the back seat of the car on the way to a concert, Richard wrote the song “I Got a Woman” for Charles, which became Ray Charles’ first number one radio hit. In 1954, Renald Richard left Ray Charles’ band. However, he stayed friendly with Ray Charles over the years. He became the high school’s band director in his hometown until 1962. Four years later, he moved again to New York City. Over the years, Richard has written many other songs that have been recorded by artists including Joe Turner, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Elvis Presley to name a few. Living now in Southern Florida, Richard is still active at the age of 92. As you can see, Renald Richard’s musical days are by no means near an end.
That is today’s Celebrity Introduction. Any comments? Please write to us in the Comments Section on this page.
1. How is the passage developed?| A．In order of location. | B．In order of frequency. |
| C．In order of time. | D．In order of importance. |
| A．He attended Xavier University of Louisiana. |
| B．He served in the army. |
| C．He played clubs on the famous Bourbon Street. |
| D．He joined Ray Charles’ new band. |
| A．productive. | B．changeable. | C．considerate. | D．generous. |
| A．A Life Filled with Music | B．Active at an Advanced Age |
| C．The Influence of a Musician | D．Renald Richard and Ray Charles |
5 . Rave-on!
How about learning new skills on the guitar, drums and keyboard by video? Follow the touch-screen instructions to find lessons on each instrument, or search for a song to practise playing along to. Try our Professional Selection, with video clips of band members who will explain the techniques that make their recordings so individual.
Show-in-a-day!
Be a star singer or dancer for the day in a one-time-only special performance! Experts in international music and dance styles will train you, and costumes provided for the performance help create a really special, individual show. Get your friends and family to come and see you perform, as no videoing or photography is allowed.
Archived Images
Want to find out about a new band, or just want more information about an old favourite? Visit our collection to find out facts and figures, or see the actual possessions of famous bands and musicians you are interested in. You can actually get to touch things worn on stage at major rock and pop events, and there are plenty of other concert souvenirs.
Rhythm-studio
Get your body moving in the studio and learn to move to rhythms and sounds from the past to now, including Soul and Disco. Learn your steps from our professional onscreen dance instructor, then watch your performance and become the star in your own video recording which you can take away!
1. Which one can collect information about someone’s favourite bands?| A．Rave-on! | B．Archived Images. |
| C．Show-in-a-day! | D．Rhythm-studio. |
| A．Rhythm-studio offers free gifts from musicians. |
| B．Rhythm-studio has experts to teach face to face. |
| C．Rhythm-studio gets family members to enjoy the shows. |
| D．Rhythm-studio allows people to bring videos home. |
| A．In a report. | B．In a travel brochure. |
| C．In a newspaper. | D．In a science magazine. |
6 . Beethoven was born over 250 years ago, yet his music is still played daily around the world. Beethoven wrote many famous pieces of music, but he’s probably best known for his nine symphonies (交响曲). Before Beethoven died in 1827, he began a 10th Symphony, but never finished. What he left behind were some notes about the piece and a few “sketches” (草图) — short bits of written music.
In 2019, a special team of musicians, computer scientists, and historians was formed. Their goal: to try to complete Beethoven’s 10th Symphony to celebrate his 250th birthday. The team wanted to come as close as possible to producing the symphony that Beethoven meant to write.
The team trained an AI to help with the symphony. They turned every piece of music that Beethoven ever wrote into a form the computer could understand. By feeding the program all of Beethoven’s music, the AI could look for the way Beethoven wrote. Other members of the team studied Beethoven’s notes and sketches, and attempted to find out what Beethoven was planning to do.
One early test told the team they were on the right track. They took a few minutes of music created by the AI based on Beethoven’s sketches, and played it for Beethoven experts, musicians, and reporters. No one could tell which parts had been written by Beethoven and which parts the AI made up. Finally, the AI connected the little musical bits into a symphony. It took the team over two years to complete Beethoven’s 10th Symphony-40 minutes’ music.
So Beethoven now has a 10th Symphony. And though Beethoven didn’t write it all, the team feels sure that the music is very much like what he might have written, if he’d had the chance.
1. What is the purpose of the team?| A．To train an AI to create music. | B．To finish Beethoven’s 10th Symphony. |
| C．To celebrate Beethoven’s 250th birthday. | D．To find out what Beethoven wrote. |
| A．The challenge of the team. | B．The functions of the AI. |
| C．The technology the team used. | D．The great efforts the team made. |
| A．It’s created by the AI entirely. | B．It’s played for the public at first. |
| C．It’s like Beethoven’s original. | D．It took two years to practice. |
| A．Science. | B．Sports. | C．Health. | D．Education. |
7 . Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival
Where: Becket, Massachusetts
When: June 15 — Aug 24
Each summer, this influential dance center presents a number of classes and performances by more than 50 companies from around the world. Highlights this season include the Dance Theatre of Harlem’s production of Alvin Ailey’s “The Lark Ascending”, which opens the festival.
Many events are free. Ticketed performances start at $22.
Moab Music Festival
Where: Moab, Utah
When: Aug 29 — Sept 9
This area is better known for mountain biking than for music. But since 1992, it has hosted a private festival that brings classical, jazz, Latin and other types of music to the land. This year there will be 16 concerts, including three “Grotto Concerts”, where guests take a 45-minute boat ride down the Colorado River to performances.
Events start at $25.
Cheyenne Frontier Days
Where: Cheyenne, Wyoming
When: July 19 — 28
There’s something for everyone at this 117-year-old festival, from an “Indian village” and Old West museum to country concerts. But the competition is still the main attraction, with cowboys and cowgirls competing for major money on the world’s largest outdoor stage.
Competition tickets start at $18, and concert tickets at $23.
The Glimmerglass Festival
Where: Cooperstown, New York
When: July 6 — Aug 24
Each summer, opera lovers from around the country (and the world) travel to upstate New York to watch productions that include stars like Nathan Gunn and Ginger Costa-Jackson. This year’s performances include Wagner’s “The Flying Dutchman” and Verdi’s “King for a Day”, in honor of the 200th birthdays of both composers.
Tickets start at $26.
1. Where can a tourist enjoy free performances?| A．Massachusetts. | B．Utah. | C．Wyoming. | D．New York. |
| A．June 15. | B．July 19. | C．August 24. | D．September 4. |
| A．Education | B．Art | C．Business | D．Literature |
| A．Hip-hop. | B．Rock music. | C．The blues. |
| A．Twice a week. | B．Once a week. | C．Three times a week. |
| A．She can’t afford to buy one. |
| B．She wants to have a peaceful and quiet night. |
| C．She wants to listen to some music. |
