MODULE 1
11
8
“Music can help make world peace.” Spend
three minutes writing a few sentences on the topic. Read
your sentences to the class. Who agrees with you?
Think!
The skies open and the rain
pours
down, a sure sign that we are
enjoying an English summer. The ground beneath our feet is
rapidly turning into a field of mud, but it doesn’t matter. I am having
the time of my life, dancing and singing along to the music at the
latest WOMAD festival with thousands of other fans from all over
the country.
The World of Music, Arts and Dance, or WOMAD, tries to give us
a taste of the musical styles that are enjoyed all over the world, and
it has become so successful that WOMAD festivals are now held
in several countries.
His dream is to broaden our musical
horizons
, getting us away from what we hear on the radio or TV
every day, and experiencing the best in world music.
Gabriel says, “The festivals have always been wonderful and
unique
occasions and have succeeded in introducing many
talented
artists to an international audience.
Music is a
universal language that brings people together.”
World music was the
motivation
for these hugely popular three-
day carnivals and to this day remains the main attraction, but there
are now other delights to experience.
At this particular
festival, I find activities designed for children as well as workshops,
multi-media exhibits and stalls selling all kinds of hand-crafted
goods.
The fun is not only experienced by those in front of the stage. I am
lucky enough to be invited backstage, where there is a feeling of
brotherhood
and
sisterhood
among the many artists, as well as
a feeling that they are doing something to
improve
international
understanding. The musicians have come here from all over the
world, from Alaska to Zanzibar, so it is not surprising that the
festivals have become known as the ‘Global Village.’
Artists
share changing rooms and food, laugh, joke and
swap
stories
about life on the road.
Although people’s spirits are high, the weather is a major
problem for this British festival. A common sight is people
wearing a black plastic bag on each foot. These do-it-yourself
boots protect the wearer from the brown soup the field has
become. Experiences like this explain why WOMAD has
occasionally been renamed WOMUD.
Nothing, however, can
dampen
the enthusiasm of the audience.
Taking a look at the fans from the stage, I see a crowd that is united
despite their differences.
The artists gather on stage to give
a performance in a
multitude
of languages. We might not
understand every word, but the feelings are
unmistakably
universal and prove that music truly has the ability to break down
the language
barriers
that so often divide us.
The concert ends and I join the crowd as it
drifts away
, leaving
behind the echo of the last note played and a mud-splattered field.
The stage comes down and the tents, stalls and canteens are
taken apart.
Another festival is over and all that remains
are the
fond
memories. But the die-hardWOMAD fans are already
looking forward to next year’s event. The real joy of having happy
memories is the belief that, sometime, somewhere, you’ll get the
chance to create even happier ones.
2
1
3
4
5
6
Listening & Speaking
7
Listen to and read the text again. What reasons does
the writer give for the popularity of such events? Discuss your
answers with a partner and then present your findings to the
class.
Writing
9
Portfolio
: Imagine you attended
WOMAD. Send an email to your
English pen‒friend, describing
your experience. Write when it
happened, how you went there,
who with, what the weather was
like, what you did/saw and your
feelings.
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
This togetherness is reflected in the final performance of the weekend, designed as a celebration of the main
idea behind the festival.
Equally important, they have also helped different audiences to understand cultures other than their own
through the enjoyment of music.
The amount of energy that goes into organising a festival like this is simply astonishing.
Nobody is in competition to be the biggest or the best, the focus being firmly on a community spirit.
The car park slowly empties as a quieter day dawns over the countryside.
Over the years, the festival has turned into an event for the whole family.
The person who came up with the idea for the festivals is Peter Gabriel, the musician who came to fame as
the lead singer of the rock group Genesis.
