Free timeMaking music

Young people in the German-speaking countries enjoy a variety of hobbies in their free time, from summer and winter sports to making music in bands.

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Making music

Almost all young people listen to music, but research shows that making music by singing in a band or playing an instrument has lots of benefits.

Hilfsvokabeln– Helpful vocabulary

  • bekommen (v) – to get
  • kennenlernen (v) – to get to know
  • die Laune (f) – mood
  • die Leute (pl) – people
  • die Schulnote (f) – school grade
  • verbessern (v) – to improve (to make better)
Ohne Musik wäre das Leben ein Irrtum. – Without music, life would be a mistake.
Nietzsche (1844–1900), German philosopher

Question

Which reasons for making music are mentioned in the flyer?

There are five correct answers.

A flyer showing why active music making is beneficial.
  • Music reduces stress.
  • Music helps you meet new people.
  • Music helps you get to know other cultures.
  • Music puts you in a good mood.
  • Music makes you emotional.
  • Music improves your concentration.
  • Music improves your grades at school.
  • Music prevents headaches.

Hilfsvokabeln– Helpful vocabulary

  • begeistert (adj) – enthusiastic
  • die Kenntnisse (pl) – knowledge
  • melden (v) – to get in contact
  • die Musikrichtung (f) – type of music
  • nur (adv) – only
  • der Sänger (m) – male singer
  • die Sängerin (f) – female singer
  • der Schlagzeug (m) – drum
  • der Schlagzeugspieler (m) – male drummer
  • die Schlagzeugspielerin (f) – female drummer
  • sowohl... als auch (conj) – both
  • unwichtig (adj) – unimportant
  • von... bis (prep) – from... to
  • vor allem (adv) – above all/mainly
  • wichtig (adj) – important

Question

Mani und Katja are forming a band as they want to enter a well-known TV talent show. The band needs a drummer so they have put an advert in the local paper.

Advertisment for a vacancy as a drummer in a band.

Note whether the statements below are true, false or not in the text - richtig, falsch or nicht im Text.

  • Die Band kommt aus Österreich.
  • Die Band braucht einen Keyboardspieler.
  • Die neue Person muss 18 Jahre alt sein.
  • Die neue Person muss glücklich sein.
  • Die Band spielt dreimal pro Woche.
  • Die Band spielt nur Jazz und Rock Musik.
  • Die Band spielt sehr oft Soulmusik.

Did you know?

In Germany, 25 per cent – fünfundzwanzig Prozent – of young people actively make music.

That means they play an instrument or sing in a choir – der Chor – or band.

Making music is more popular than attending sports events and going to parties and discos. It is, however, not as popular as spending time with friends – Zeit mit Freunden verbringen – and chilling – chillen.

Multiracial music band performing in a recording studio
Image caption,
Music-making is one of the most popular pastimes in Germany

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