Researchers discovered that people who go to live concerts live longer. Experts from University College London       1     (study) the lifestyles of over 6,700 British for the past 15 years. They found that the over-50s who     2     (regular) went to concerts were around 30 per cent less likely to die over the next 14 years. The researchers said the over-50s extended their life by taking part     3     the “receptive arts” art galleries, concerts, the theater, musicals, and the opera     4     (include). They examined how often the people went out and what kinds of events they attended. In addition to       5     (live) longer, concertgoers also had more fun.

Lead researcher Dr Fancourt said money played       6     big role in whether people went to concerts and engaged with the arts. Over 40 per cent of people in the least wealthy group never had access to    7     (culture) activities. The UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock believed there could be a lot of       8     (true) in it. He said the arts and culture could improve mental health and release loneliness. He recently announced plans for the UK’s National Health Service to use the arts     9     (improve) people’s wellbeing and health. “Generally, our results stress the importance of continuing to explore new social factors     10     affect our health,the researchers said.

3 . There is a tendency to think of each of the arts as a separate area of activity. Many artists, ________, would prove that there has always been a warm relationship between the various areas of human activity. ________, in the late nineteenth century the connections between music and painting were particularly________. Artists were invited to design clothes and settings for operas and ballets, but sometimes it was the musicians who were inspired (给……以灵感) by the work of contemporary painters. Of the musical compositions that were considered as ________ to the visual arts, perhaps the most famous is Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.

Mussorgsky ________ the piece in 1874 after the death, at the age of 39, of the artist Victor Hartmann. Though their friendship had not been a particularly long-lasting one, Mussorgsky was shocked by Hartmann’s ________ death. The following year the critic, Vladimir Stasov, who decided to hold an exhibition of Hartmann’s work, suggested that Mussorgsky try to ________ his grief by writing something in memory of Hartmann.

The exhibition served as Mussorgsky’s inspiration. The ten pieces that make up Pictures at an Exhibition are intended as ________ rather than representations of the paintings in the exhibition. Between each is a promenade (舞曲中的行进), as the composer walks from one painting to another. The music is sometimes witty and playful, sometimes almost ________ and frightening. Through a range of surprising ________, Mussorgsky manages to convey the spirit of the artist and his work.

5 . Opera at Music Hall: 1243 Elm Street. The season runs June through August, with additional performances in March and September. The Opera honors enjoy the Arts membership discounts. Phone: 241-2742. http://www. cityopera. com.

Chamber Orchestra: The Orchestra plays at Memorial Hall at 1406 Elm Street, which offers several concerts from March through June. Call 723-1182 for more information. http:www.chamberoch.com.

Symphony Orchestra: At Music Hall and Riverbend. For ticket sales, call 381-3300. Regular season runs September through May at Music Hall in summer at Riverbend. http://www.symphony.org/home.asp.

College Conservatory of Music (CCM): Performances are on the main campus (校园)of the university, usually at Patricia Cobbett Theater. CCM organizes a variety of events, including performances by the well-known Lasalle Quartet, CCM’s Philharmonic Orchestra, and various groups of musicians presenting Baroque through modern music. Students with I．D card can attend the events for free. A free schedule of events for each term is available by calling the box office at 556-4183. http://www.ccm.uc.edu/events/calendar.

Riverbend Music Theater: 6295 Kellogg Ave. Large outdoor theater with the closest seats under cover (piece difference).Big name shows all summer long! Phone:232-6220. http:///www.riverbendmusic.com.

6 . At first sight, Alma Deutscher, a sixteen-year-old girl from England appears to be like any other typical teenager. She loves to skip rope, read and play with her younger sister. But this modest youngster, who composed her first musical work at age six, first short opera at age seven, and first full-length opera based on Cinderella at age ten, is anything but average. Though her parents downplayed(淡化)her extraordinary talent, young Alma is being described as “little Mozart” by the music world.

Alma’s opera based on the classic fairy tale, which she began writing at age eight, has a slight twist. Her Cinderella is a musician who meets her Prince Charming, a poet through a song. “In my Cinderella, she sings the beginning of a ballad—but at midnight she flees. Eventually, the prince finds her after asking all the girls of the country to sing the end of the ballad.”

The opera was first performed in Vienna, Austria on December 29, 2016, where the then eleven-year-old skillfully switched between the piano and the violin and received enthusiastic reviews. The young genius has since performed two new piano works, one in Australia and the other in China.

While this may appear to be a lot for someone so young, Alma is not worried. She says, “Of course I have to work hard. But all children have to work hard for exams, and at least when I work hard, I work hard for something incredibly exciting, like seeing my whole opera put on.”

Alma’s musical talent first came to light before she could even talk. Her parents recall that as an 18-month-old toddler, she was able to hum a perfect version of the children’s rhyme Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

However, Alma’s abilities only gained international attention in 2012, after a family friend posted a video online comparing her to Mozart. The family was suddenly swamped with media and Alma became an overnight star, dubbed “little Mozart”. This nickname makes her parents unhappy because they believe it puts added pressure on the young girl. They would instead prefer her to be called “a composer and musician”.

Alma does not want to be compared to the famous artist either, saying “There was only one Mozart, and I prefer to be little Alma.” Regardless of what she calls herself, the sixteen-year-old is changing the world of music forever!

Music Week Is Coming

Students' Union