Study the text and do the exercises below.

Katarzyna Piotrowska It All Happened When… - Musicians and Their Stories

Some musicians are born with a flair forflair forflair for music, others discover their gift by chance, however for each person music is connected with crucial events in their lives. Let’s learn the stories of five musicians and learn who or what brought music to their lives.

Greta, 20

I’ve always wanted to become a singer. At the outsetat the outsetAt the outset I sang in front of the bathroom mirror and instead of a real micmicmic, I used my grandma’s hairspray. It was embarrassing. I’m glad I didn't have a social media profile then, or else I wouldn’t sleep a winkwouldn’t sleep a wink [not sleep a wink] (idiom)wouldn’t sleep a wink nowadays. It was a natural course of action that I attended a music school and had private singing tuition. The focus on music has borne fruithas borne fruit [bear fruit]has borne fruit and I am currently getting ready for my final exams. In the foreseeable future I am going to earn a Bachelor of MusicBachelor of MusicBachelor of Music and then decide on further plans.

Harry, 19

Music has never been my passion. I guess it’s because of my bitter memories from primary school. My grandma used to be an opera singeropera singeropera singer, so she urged me to join a school choirchoirchoir. It was a nightmare, as I was really hopeless, so when my teacher suggested I get a bass guitarbass guitarbass guitar and accompany the singers, I jumped at the chancejumped at the chance [jump at the chance]jumped at the chance. I used online tutorials and self‑taught myself during holidays. I used my free time and learned to play it well. In September I decided to set up my private online channel, where I uploaded my coversuploaded my covers [upload cover]uploaded my covers of contemporarycontemporarycontemporary rockrockrock and poppoppop songs. I got noticed and now I am a bass guitaristbass guitaristbass guitarist in an indie bandindie bandindie band.

Paula, 20

I have to admit that I went against the grainwent against the grain [go against the grain] (idiom)went against the grain. While my peers enjoyed hip‑hop, R&BR&B (rhythm and blues)R&B, and pop, I opted for Mozart, Strauss, and Chopin. Classical musicclassical musicClassical music luredlured [lure]lured me so much that I am studying in a music school. I study the trombonetrombonetrombone and my teacher is a distinguisheddistinguisheddistinguished musician. She is demanding and strict, but I’ve made such progress thanks to her. I am grateful to her and never winge aboutwinge aboutwinge about having to practise a lot. I study the theory of music. The hardest for me is solfegesolfegesolfege, ear trainingear trainingear training, but I do my best and I manage to pass.

Robert, 25

My interest in music started with a Christmas gift. I got a bass guitar and signed up for music lessons. Unfortunately, before the first meeting, I fell down and crashed the guitar. I broke the guitar’s neckneckneck and two tuning pegstuning pegs [tuning peg]tuning pegs were completely damaged. I was ready to face the musicface the music (idiom)face the music and tell my parents about the accident. I posted a photo of my broken instrument on social media and within five minutes I received an offer from my music teacher. He offered me his guitar for a songfor a song (idiom)for a song! He was also so moved by my post that he decided to take me under his wingtake me under his wing [take someone under someone’s wing]take me under his wing and help me. It turned out that every cloud has a silver liningevery cloud has a silver lining (idiom)every cloud has a silver lining and because of that I am now a professional bass guitarist!

Alex, 18

When I was eight, my family moved to Louisiana and I first heard jazzjazzjazz music there. I began playing the trumpettrumpettrumpet. I practised in my bedroom with my window open. One day I heard a loud applauseapplauseapplause. I looked out and saw an elderly gentleman clapping his handsclapping his hands [clap someone’s hands]clapping his hands. He said I had talent and offered to give me a few lessons. It was music to my earswas music to my ears [be music to someone’s ears] (idiom)was music to my ears. Later, it turned out he was one of the most famous jazz musicians in the town! I still cherish the advicecherish the advicecherish the advice I got from him.

1 Źródło: Katarzyna Piotrowska, licencja: CC BY-SA 3.0.