Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a pastor
    • ex. The pastor gave a beautiful speech at the church service last Sunday.
  2. a conductor
    • ex. The conductor raised his hands, and the orchestra began to play.
  3. an audition
    • ex. The director held auditions to find actors for the new movie.
  4. empowering
    • ex. My teacher’s words were empowering. They helped me feel more confident.
  5. value
    • ex. My father values honesty and always tells the truth.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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New Hope Presbyterian Church in Anaheim, California, began an orchestra last April. The church wanted to help young musicians who might not have other opportunities to learn music. The church is led by Pastor Chineta Goodjoin. She was inspired by her daughter’s experience with the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles. Together with conductor Charles Dickerson, Goodjoin created a similar program in Orange County.

The orchestra has about 18 members, aged 9 to 20, playing instruments like the violin, viola, bass, and cello. The program is open to all without auditions, and it’s free, providing an empowering experience for students. It gives them the opportunity to connect with teachers and feel a sense of belonging.

Eleven-year-old violin player Giovanni Vazquez is one of the church orchestra members. He said that in the church orchestra, he can play both classical music and new songs. Giovanni values being part of the church orchestra because “it’s a piece of our community.” Parents like Carol Nealy believe the program will help make music more accessible to future generations.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Young Musicians

  • In your opinion, how important is music for young people? Discuss.
  • As a child, did you learn music or how to play an instrument? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Imagine you’re a young musician. What kind of music would you play (ex. classical music, pop songs)? Why? Discuss.

Empowering Experiences

  • According to the article, the orchestra gives young children an empowering experience. What other activities can be empowering for young children? Discuss.
  • Talk about an empowering experience you had (ex. giving a speech in front of a big audience, playing a sport/musical instrument in public). Discuss.
  • What do you think is more empowering, someone’s words or someone’s actions? Discuss.