VOA标准英语2012--Jazz, Hip Hop, Broadway Taught in Bangkok, Beyond

 

Jazz, Hip¹ Hop², Broadway Taught in Bangkok, Beyond

Grammy nominated jazz instructor³ Gene⁴ Aitken has conducted some of the top military bands in Asia and the Middle East.

From Thailand he travels to countries emerging from conflict and isolation⁵ to bring young people from different religions and cultures together.

"There's one common language and that's the arts," said Aitken. "Throughout China, throughout the Middle East, and everything, everybody understands the arts. Everybody wants to be involved either as a participant or as someone who observes. Because, when we go into Iraq, maybe we have a day's notice on when there's going to be a concert. And, the concert halls are packed."

Jazz musician Rang Kawa is from Iraqi Kurdistan and traveled to Thailand to study under Aitken.

"Jazz music, and rock music, pop music, it's one of the new things in my country. But, when American Voices Yes Academy program came to Iraq, it [was even] better," said Kawa.

Aitken's jazz classes are part of American Voices' "YES Academy" or Youth Excellence⁶ on Stage.

The U.S. funded non-profit offers free professional training in unique American performing arts such as hip hop and Broadway musicals.

YES Academy also runs in Afghanistan, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Pakistan and Syria, but Aiken says they work the most with Iraq.

Iraq has great orchestras, music and theater schools, as well as eager students, but decades of conflict have deprived teachers of proper training says director John Ferguson.

"We're trying to help re-build the cultural infrastructure⁷ there, helping⁸ train the teachers, helping train the next generation of teachers, and giving the students some motivation to keep going with their interest in music, dance, and theatre," Ferguson said.

Ferguson says they are not allowed to teach dance in conservative Afghanistan.

But, otherwise, across the region, Western performing arts are quite popular because of Hollywood films and a lack of classes and professional teachers. 

1 hip   

n.臀部，髋；屋脊

参考例句：

• The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line.新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

2 hop   

n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过

参考例句：

• The children had a competition to see who could hop the fastest.孩子们举行比赛，看谁单足跳跃最快。
• How long can you hop on your right foot?你用右脚能跳多远？

3 instructor   

n.指导者，教员，教练

参考例句：

• The college jumped him from instructor to full professor.大学突然把他从讲师提升为正教授。
• The skiing instructor was a tall,sunburnt man.滑雪教练是一个高高个子晒得黑黑的男子。

4 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

5 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

6 excellence   

n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德

参考例句：

• His art has reached a high degree of excellence.他的艺术已达到炉火纯青的地步。
• My performance is far below excellence.我的表演离优秀还差得远呢。

7 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

8 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。