Yunchan Lim, a 19-year-old pianist, just signed a record deal with Decca Records in the UK. He got famous last year when he won the Van Cliburn Piano Competition in Texas, becoming the youngest winner ever. One of his performances on YouTube has over 12 million views. Decca Records beat out other record labels from Tokyo to New York to sign Lim. He chose Decca because they make great records and work with famous musicians.

People say Lim’s performances are amazing. They say his playing is powerful, magnetic, and poetic. When he played Rachmaninoff’s concerto, the conductor Marin Alsop cried. Critics love how Lim’s playing takes you to another world. Lim was born in South Korea in 2004. He says he fell in love with the 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 academy when he was eight. His teacher said he was humble and talented.

Since winning the Van Cliburn competition, Lim has released two recordings. One is of Liszt’s Transcendental Études and the other is a live performance of Beethoven’s Emperor concerto. The Beethoven recording went platinum in South Korea right away. Lim’s first studio recording with Decca will come out in spring 2024. The co-president of Decca Records, Tom Lewis, is really excited about signing Lim. He thinks Lim is the most exciting new classical artist in the world.

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:

– News Summary

Instructions:
1. Divide the class into groups of 3-4 students.
2. Give each group a copy of the article.
3. Instruct the groups to read the article together and discuss the main points.
4. Each group must then create a concise summary of the article, focusing on the key information.
5. After a set time, have each group share their news summary with the class.

– Opinion Poll

Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs.
2. Give each pair a copy of the article.
3. Instruct each pair to read the article and discuss their opinions on the following questions:
– What do you think about Yunchan Lim’s success at such a young age?
– Do you think talent is innate or can it be developed through hard work?
– Would you consider pursuing a career in music?
4. After a set time, bring the class back together and have a group discussion, sharing some of the opinions and reasons behind them.

– Vocabulary Pictionary

Instructions:
1. Write down key vocabulary words from the article on separate pieces of paper.
2. Divide the class into pairs.
3. Give each pair a set of vocabulary words.
4. Instruct one student in each pair to draw a picture to represent each word, while the other student guesses the word.
5. After a set time, have the pairs switch roles and continue the activity.

– Sketch It

Instructions:
1. Divide the class into pairs.
2. Give each pair a copy of the article.
3. Instruct one student in each pair to choose a specific moment or scene from the article and sketch it on a piece of paper.
4. The other student must then guess which moment or scene is being depicted.
5. After a set time, have the pairs switch roles and continue the activity.

– Pros and Cons

Instructions:
1. Divide the class into small groups.
2. Instruct each group to discuss the pros and cons of Yunchan Lim’s success at a young age.
3. Each group should come up with at least three pros and three cons.
4. After a set time, have the groups share their lists and engage in a class discussion, weighing the different perspectives and providing reasons for their opinions.

Comprehension Questions:

1. How did Yunchan Lim become famous last year?
2. Why did Yunchan Lim choose to sign with Decca Records?
3. How do people describe Lim’s performances?
4. What happened when Lim played Rachmaninoff’s concerto?
5. Where was Lim born and what influenced his love for the piano?
6. When did Lim start taking piano lessons and attending a music academy?
7. What recordings has Lim released since winning the Van Cliburn competition?
8. When will Lim’s first studio recording with Decca be released?
Go to answers ⇩

Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Yunchan Lim, a 19-year-old pianist, just (1)______ a (2)______ deal with Decca Records in the UK. He got famous last year when he won the Van Cliburn Piano Competition in Texas, becoming the youngest (3)______ ever. One of his (4)______ on YouTube has over 12 million views. Decca Records beat out other record labels from Tokyo to New York to sign Lim. He chose Decca because they make great records and work with famous (5)______.

People say Lim’s performances are amazing. They say his (6)______ is powerful, (7)______, and poetic. When he played Rachmaninoff’s concerto, the conductor Marin Alsop cried. (8)______ love how Lim’s playing takes you to another world. Lim was born in South Korea in 2004. He says he fell in love with the piano because of his mom’s recordings of Chopin and Liszt. He started taking piano lessons when he was seven and went to a (9)______ academy when he was eight. His (10)______ said he was humble and talented.

Since (11)______ the Van Cliburn competition, Lim has (12)______ two recordings. One is of Liszt’s Transcendental Études and the (13)______ is a live (14)______ of Beethoven’s Emperor concerto. The Beethoven recording went platinum in South Korea right away. Lim’s first studio recording with Decca will come out in spring 2024. The co-president of Decca Records, Tom Lewis, is really excited about signing Lim. He thinks Lim is the most (15)______ new (16)______ artist in the world.
Go to answers ⇩

Discussion Questions:

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

1. What is a record deal and why is it important for a musician?
2. How do you think Yunchan Lim felt when he won the Van Cliburn Piano Competition?
3. Do you like listening to classical music? Why or why not?
4. How would you feel if you became famous for your talent at a young age?
5. What do you think it means for Lim’s playing to be described as “powerful, magnetic, and poetic”?
6. Have you ever had a teacher who said you were talented at something? How did it make you feel?
7. What is your favorite musical instrument and why?
8. Do you think it’s important for musicians to work with famous record labels? Why or why not?
9. How do you think Lim’s mom’s recordings influenced his love for the piano?
10. Have you ever cried when listening to music? Why or why not?
11. What do you think it means for Lim’s playing to “take you to another world”?
12. How do you think Lim’s life has changed since winning the competition?
13. Have you ever bought a music album? If so, which one and why did you choose it?
14. Do you think it’s important for young artists to have support from record labels? Why or why not?
15. How do you think Lim’s music will impact the world of classical music?

Individual Activities

Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. pianist
2. record deal
3. famous
4. performances
5. magnetic
6. recordings
7. platinum
8. classical artist

Meanings:
(a) Shows or concerts where someone performs
(b) A person who plays the piano
(c) An agreement with a company to make music
(d) Someone who creates and performs classical music
(e) A level of success for selling a lot of copies
(f) Music that is saved and can be listened to later
(g) Well-known and recognized by many people
(h) Having a strong and attractive presence
Go to answers ⇩

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. How did Yunchan Lim become famous?
(a) He signed a record deal with Decca Records.
(b) He played a concert in Texas.
(c) He released two recordings.
(d) He won the Van Cliburn Piano Competition.

2. Why did Yunchan Lim choose to sign with Decca Records?
(a) They offered him the most money.
(b) They have the best recording studio.
(c) They make great records and work with famous musicians.
(d) They are located in the UK.

3. What do people say about Yunchan Lim’s performances?
(a) They are amazing.
(b) They are terrible.
(c) They are boring.
(d) They are average.

4. What did the conductor Marin Alsop do when Yunchan Lim played Rachmaninoff’s concerto?
(a) She cried.
(b) She laughed.
(c) She fell asleep.
(d) She clapped.

5. Where was Yunchan Lim born?
(a) Japan
(b) South Korea
(c) China
(d) United States

6. When did Yunchan Lim start taking piano lessons?
(a) When he was four
(b) When he was seven
(c) When he was twelve
(d) When he was sixteen

7. What recordings has Yunchan Lim released since winning the Van Cliburn competition?
(a) Chopin’s Nocturnes and Mozart’s Symphony No. 40
(b) Bach’s Goldberg Variations and Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake
(c) Liszt’s Transcendental Études and Beethoven’s Emperor concerto
(d) Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Brahms’ Symphony No. 1

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

Go to answers ⇩

True or False Questions:

1. Decca Records beat out other record labels from Tokyo to New York to sign Lim because of their reputation for making great records and working with famous musicians.
2. Lim was born in North Korea in 2004 and began taking piano lessons at the age of seven.
3. Marin Alsop, a conductor, cried when Lim played Rachmaninoff’s concerto.
4. People describe Lim’s performances as average, with his playing being described as weak, repelling, and unremarkable.
5. Critics praise Lim’s playing for its ability to transport listeners to another world.
6. Yunchan Lim, a 19-year-old guitarist, recently signed a record deal with Decca Records in the UK.
7. One of Lim’s performances on YouTube has over 120 views.
8. Lim gained popularity after winning the Van Cliburn Piano Competition in Texas last year, making him the youngest winner ever.
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 and what did he recently achieve?
2. Why did Lim choose to sign with Decca Records?
3. How do people describe Lim’s piano playing?
4. How did Lim’s love for the piano begin?
5. What recordings has Lim released since winning the Van Cliburn competition?

Answers

Comprehension Question Answers:

1. How did Yunchan Lim become famous last year?
Yunchan Lim became famous last year when he won the Van Cliburn Piano Competition in Texas, becoming the youngest winner ever.

2. Why did Yunchan Lim choose to sign with Decca Records?
Yunchan Lim chose to sign with Decca Records because they make great records and work with famous musicians.

3. How do people describe Lim’s performances?
People describe Lim’s performances as powerful, magnetic, and poetic.

4. What happened when Lim played Rachmaninoff’s concerto?
When Lim played Rachmaninoff’s concerto, the conductor Marin Alsop cried.

5. Where was Lim born and what influenced his love for the piano?
Lim was born in South Korea in 2004. His love for the piano was influenced by his mom’s recordings of Chopin and Liszt.

6. When did Lim start taking piano lessons and attending a music academy?
Lim started taking piano lessons when he was seven and attended a music academy when he was eight.

7. What recordings has Lim released since winning the Van Cliburn competition?
Since winning the Van Cliburn competition, Lim has released recordings of Liszt’s Transcendental Études and a live performance of Beethoven’s Emperor concerto.

8. When will Lim’s first studio recording with Decca be released?
Lim’s first studio recording with Decca will be released in spring 2024.
Go back to questions ⇧

Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) signed
(2) record
(3) winner
(4) performances
(5) musicians
(6) playing
(7) magnetic
(8) Critics
(9) music
(10) teacher
(11) winning
(12) released
(13) other
(14) performance
(15) exciting
(16) classical
Go back to questions ⇧

Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. pianist
Answer: (b) A person who plays the piano

2. record deal
Answer: (c) An agreement with a company to make music

3. famous
Answer: (g) Well-known and recognized by many people

4. performances
Answer: (a) Shows or concerts where someone performs

5. magnetic
Answer: (h) Having a strong and attractive presence

6. recordings
Answer: (f) Music that is saved and can be listened to later

7. platinum
Answer: (e) A level of success for selling a lot of copies

8. classical artist
Answer: (d) Someone who creates and performs classical music
Go back to questions ⇧

Multiple Choice Answers:

1. How did Yunchan Lim become famous?
Answer: (d) He won the Van Cliburn Piano Competition.

2. Why did Yunchan Lim choose to sign with Decca Records?
Answer: (c) They make great records and work with famous musicians.

3. What do people say about Yunchan Lim’s performances?
Answer: (a) They are amazing.

4. What did the conductor Marin Alsop do when Yunchan Lim played Rachmaninoff’s concerto?
Answer: (a) She cried.

5. Where was Yunchan Lim born?
Answer: (b) South Korea

6. When did Yunchan Lim start taking piano lessons?
Answer: (b) When he was seven

7. What recordings has Yunchan Lim released since winning the Van Cliburn competition?
Answer: (c) Liszt’s Transcendental Études and Beethoven’s Emperor concerto

8. When will Yunchan Lim’s first studio recording with Decca come out?
Answer: (d) Spring 2024
Go back to questions ⇧

True or False Answers:

1. Decca Records beat out other record labels from Tokyo to New York to sign Lim because of their reputation for making great records and working with famous musicians. (Answer: True)
2. Lim was born in North Korea in 2004 and began taking piano lessons at the age of seven. (Answer: False)
3. Marin Alsop, a conductor, cried when Lim played Rachmaninoff’s concerto. (Answer: True)
4. People describe Lim’s performances as average, with his playing being described as weak, repelling, and unremarkable. (Answer: False)
5. Critics praise Lim’s playing for its ability to transport listeners to another world. (Answer: True)
6. Yunchan Lim, a 19-year-old guitarist, recently signed a record deal with Decca Records in the UK. (Answer: False)
7. One of Lim’s performances on YouTube has over 120 views. (Answer: False)
8. Lim gained popularity after winning the Van Cliburn Piano Competition in Texas last year, making him the youngest winner ever. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧