Yunchan Lim, a 19-year-old piano player from South Korea, has signed a deal with a famous UK record company called Decca Records. He became famous last year when he was the youngest person to win a big piano contest in Texas. His performance of a piece by Rachmaninoff has been watched over 12 million times on YouTube. Many record companies wanted to sign him, but he chose Decca.

Lim picked Decca because they are known for making records with great sound and working with famous musicians. People who review music have said very good things about Lim’s performances. His first recording with Decca will come out in spring 2024. Tom Lewis, who is in charge of Decca, said Lim is the most exciting new classical music artist and is happy Lim chose to work with them.

Lim was born in 2004 and started loving piano because of his mom’s recordings of Chopin and Liszt. He started taking piano lessons when he was seven and went to a music school when he was eight. After winning the piano contest, he has made two recordings. One of them became very popular in South Korea just hours after it was released.

Original news source: Classical music’s answer to K-pop’ signs exclusive record deal (BBC)

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Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– Charades

Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will take turns selecting a word or phrase related to the article and acting it out without speaking. The other groups must try to guess what word or phrase they are acting out. This activity will help students practice vocabulary and non-verbal communication skills.

– News Summary

Instructions: Pair up students and have them take turns summarizing the article to their partner in their own words. Encourage them to include the main points and key details. After each summary, the listener can ask questions to clarify any unclear points. This activity will help students practice reading comprehension and summarizing skills.

– Opinion Poll

Instructions: Create a list of questions related to the article, such as “Do you think Yunchan Lim made the right choice by signing with Decca Records?” or “Would you like to see Yunchan Lim perform live?” Have students go around the class and ask their classmates these questions, recording their answers. Afterward, they can share their findings with the class. This activity will help students practice speaking and expressing their opinions.

– Word Association

Instructions: Write the word “piano” on the board. Have students take turns coming up with words or phrases related to the word “piano” and the article, such as “music,” “concert,” or “Rachmaninoff.” Encourage students to explain the connection between each word or phrase they come up with. This activity will help students practice vocabulary and making connections between words.

– Think-Pair-Share

Instructions: Pose a question related to the article, such as “What challenges do you think Yunchan Lim will face as a young classical music artist?” Give students a few minutes to think about their answer individually, then have them pair up with a partner and discuss their answers. Finally, ask a few pairs to share their answers with the whole class. This activity will help students practice critical thinking and speaking skills.

Comprehension Questions:

1. How did Yunchan Lim become famous?
2. Why did Lim choose to sign with Decca Records?
3. When will Lim’s first recording with Decca come out?
4. What kind of music did Lim’s mom listen to that made him love the piano?
5. When did Lim start taking piano lessons?
6. How many recordings has Lim made so far?
7. What happened to one of Lim’s recordings in South Korea?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Yunchan Lim, a 19-year-old (1)______ player from South Korea, has signed a (2)______ with a famous UK record company called Decca Records. He became famous (3)______ year when he was the youngest person to win a big piano contest in Texas. His performance of a piece by Rachmaninoff has been watched over 12 million times on YouTube. Many record companies wanted to (4)______ him, but he chose Decca.

Lim (5)______ Decca because they are known for making (6)______ with great sound and working with famous musicians. People who review music have said very good things about Lim’s performances. His first recording with Decca will come out in spring 2024. Tom Lewis, who is in charge of Decca, said Lim is the most exciting new (7)______ music (8)______ and is happy Lim chose to work with them.

Lim was born in 2004 and (9)______ loving piano because of his mom’s recordings of Chopin and Liszt. He started taking piano lessons when he was seven and went to a (10)______ school when he was eight. After winning the piano contest, he has made two recordings. One of them (11)______ very (12)______ in South Korea just hours after it was released.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is a record company?
2. How do you think Yunchan Lim felt when he won the piano contest?
3. Do you like listening to classical music? Why or why not?
4. How would you feel if you became famous for something you love to do?
5. Have you ever watched a performance on YouTube? What was it about?
6. What is your favorite musical instrument? Why do you like it?
7. How do you think Yunchan Lim’s mom feels about his success?
8. Do you think it’s important to have a good teacher when learning to play an instrument? Why or why not?
9. How do you think Yunchan Lim’s life will change now that he has signed with Decca Records?
10. Have you ever made a recording of yourself singing or playing an instrument? How did it make you feel?
11. What kind of music do you listen to when you want to relax?
12. Do you think it’s important to follow your passion and do what you love? Why or why not?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. piano
2. record
3. contest
4. performance
5. artist
6. recording
7. popular
8. release

Meanings:
(a) A musical instrument with black and white keys
(b) A person who creates music or art
(c) When something is made available for people to hear
(d) Liked by many people
(e) A competition to see who is the best
(f) A copy of music or sound that you can listen to
(g) A round disc with music on it
(h) A show where someone plays music or sings
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. How old is Yunchan Lim?
(a) 25
(b) 12
(c) 30
(d) 19

2. Which record company did Yunchan Lim sign with?
(a) Sony Records
(b) Universal Records
(c) Decca Records
(d) Warner Records

3. What made Yunchan Lim famous last year?
(a) Releasing a popular song
(b) Winning a piano contest
(c) Acting in a movie
(d) Writing a book

4. How many times has Yunchan Lim’s performance been watched on YouTube?
(a) Over 12 million times
(b) Over 1 million times
(c) Over 100,000 times
(d) Over 10,000 times

5. Why did Yunchan Lim choose to work with Decca Records?
(a) They offered the most money
(b) They have the most famous musicians
(c) They are known for making records with great sound
(d) They are based in South Korea

6. When will Yunchan Lim’s first recording with Decca come out?
(a) Fall 2023
(b) Spring 2024
(c) Summer 2022
(d) Winter 2025

7. How did Yunchan Lim develop his love for piano?
(a) Through his dad’s piano lessons
(b) Through a music school
(c) Through watching YouTube videos
(d) Through his mom’s recordings of Chopin and Liszt

8. How many recordings has Yunchan Lim made so far?
(a) Two
(b) Five
(c) Ten
(d) None

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. Lim’s love for piano started when he listened to his mom’s recordings of country music and pop songs, and he began taking piano lessons at the age of ten.
2. Tom Lewis, who is in charge of Decca, believes that Lim is the most exciting new classical music artist and is happy that Lim chose to work with them.
3. Lim’s first recording with Decca will be released in spring 2024.
4. Last year, Lim became famous for winning a big piano contest in Texas, making him the youngest person to achieve this.
5. Lim’s performance of a piece by Rachmaninoff on YouTube has been watched over 12 million times.
6. Music reviewers have said very negative things about Lim’s performances.
7. Yunchan Lim, a 19-year-old flute player from South Korea, has signed a deal with a little-known UK record company called Decca Records.
8. Some record companies showed interest in signing Lim, but he chose to work with Decca because they are known for their subpar sound and lack of collaborations with famous musicians.
Go to answers ⇩

Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.

1. Who is Yunchan Lim?
2. Why did Yunchan Lim choose to sign with Decca Records?
3. When will Yunchan Lim’s first recording with Decca come out?
4. How did Yunchan Lim start playing the piano?
5. What happened after Yunchan Lim released one of his recordings in South Korea?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. How did Yunchan Lim become famous?
Yunchan Lim became famous after winning a big piano contest in Texas and his performance of a piece by Rachmaninoff went viral on YouTube.

2. Why did Lim choose to sign with Decca Records?
Lim chose to sign with Decca Records because they are known for making records with great sound and working with famous musicians.

3. When will Lim’s first recording with Decca come out?
Lim’s first recording with Decca will come out in spring 2024.

4. What kind of music did Lim’s mom listen to that made him love the piano?
Lim’s mom listened to recordings of Chopin and Liszt, which made him love the piano.

5. When did Lim start taking piano lessons?
Lim started taking piano lessons when he was seven years old.

6. How many recordings has Lim made so far?
Lim has made two recordings so far.

7. What happened to one of Lim’s recordings in South Korea?
One of Lim’s recordings became very popular in South Korea just hours after it was released.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) piano
(2) deal
(3) last
(4) sign
(5) picked
(6) records
(7) classical
(8) artist
(9) started
(10) music
(11) became
(12) popular
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. piano
Answer: (a) A musical instrument with black and white keys

2. record
Answer: (g) A round disc with music on it

3. contest
Answer: (e) A competition to see who is the best

4. performance
Answer: (h) A show where someone plays music or sings

5. artist
Answer: (b) A person who creates music or art

6. recording
Answer: (f) A copy of music or sound that you can listen to

7. popular
Answer: (d) Liked by many people

8. release
Answer: (c) When something is made available for people to hear
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. How old is Yunchan Lim?
Answer: (d) 19

2. Which record company did Yunchan Lim sign with?
Answer: (c) Decca Records

3. What made Yunchan Lim famous last year?
Answer: (b) Winning a piano contest

4. How many times has Yunchan Lim’s performance been watched on YouTube?
Answer: (a) Over 12 million times

5. Why did Yunchan Lim choose to work with Decca Records?
Answer: (c) They are known for making records with great sound

6. When will Yunchan Lim’s first recording with Decca come out?
Answer: (b) Spring 2024

7. How did Yunchan Lim develop his love for piano?
Answer: (d) Through his mom’s recordings of Chopin and Liszt

8. How many recordings has Yunchan Lim made so far?
Answer: (a) Two
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. Lim’s love for piano started when he listened to his mom’s recordings of country music and pop songs, and he began taking piano lessons at the age of ten. (Answer: False)
2. Tom Lewis, who is in charge of Decca, believes that Lim is the most exciting new classical music artist and is happy that Lim chose to work with them. (Answer: True)
3. Lim’s first recording with Decca will be released in spring 2024. (Answer: True)
4. Last year, Lim became famous for winning a big piano contest in Texas, making him the youngest person to achieve this. (Answer: True)
5. Lim’s performance of a piece by Rachmaninoff on YouTube has been watched over 12 million times. (Answer: True)
6. Music reviewers have said very negative things about Lim’s performances. (Answer: False)
7. Yunchan Lim, a 19-year-old flute player from South Korea, has signed a deal with a little-known UK record company called Decca Records. (Answer: False)
8. Some record companies showed interest in signing Lim, but he chose to work with Decca because they are known for their subpar sound and lack of collaborations with famous musicians. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧