Adam Rapa and Naoki Ishikawa

當小號遇上鼓Two remarkable musicians use their talent to teach and inspire 擅長小號的亞當．拉帕和精通鼓樂的石川直攜手合作，來娛樂、啟發大眾A trumpet player and drummer team up to entertain and inspire by Chelsea Ewald

What do you get when you combine the bold and majestic sound of a trumpet with the fluid, rhythmic beat of a drum? You get none other than dynamic musical duo Adam Rapa and Naoki Ishikawa.

Musicians from the start
Adam and Naoki both discovered a love for music while young. As a child in Boston, Adam came under the early musical influence of his music enthusiast parents. After years of gaining appreciation for music through activities like singalongs with his mom, Adam picked up the trumpet at the age of 11. As soon as he began playing, it was full steam ahead. Two years later, he was already performing as a professional and gaining the respect of seasoned trumpeters from far and wide.
Music first intrigued Naoki while he was attending elementary school in his native Japan. there, he and his classmates learned to play the recorder and harmonica, but it wasn't until Naoki moved to America as a teenager that his interest in music turned into a full-blown zeal. Unable to communicate in English, Naoki began playing a flute his aunt had given him and decided to join his high school band.

Naoki did his best to focus on the flute but found himself distracted by the percussion section. The percussionists' ability to combine playing with physical movement enthralled him. The following year Noaki gave up the flute and turned to percussion where his natuarl talent flourished.

The language of music
Although he couldn't speak or comprehend much English at the time, Naoki quickly realized he could communicate using a language that required no words: music. Now years later, both Rapa and Ishikawa use their music to "speak" to people around the world.

Believing that music is a language that connects with people, the talented trumpeter and drummer also see music as a way to express themselves. Adam states, "Sometimes emotions are too difficult to express through spoken language... through music you can express yourself in a different way." One of those different ways came in 2001 when Adam and Naoki both began to perform in the hit Broadway show Blast! This award-winning musical uses music performance and pageantry to tell a story. Blast! was the first of many musical collaborations to come for the two musicians.

Today, when they're not composing (write), performing (play), creating (desire) stage shows, or working on individual projects, Adam and Naoki can be found combining forces to educate and inspire musicians around the world. For these two professionals, it's no longer about improving their own technique and skill. Now that they each have mastery of their instrument, it's about sharing their knowledge with others. Aspiring musicians around the globe learn a lot from these two via the classes and workshops the duo offers. One crucial bit of advice they give all students is to make playing about the music, not about being the best.

Saddened by the fact that many musicians today focus on fame and fortune, Adam and Naoki teach people to play for the love of the music. They also encourage people to be lifelong learners and players. Regardless of whether players are beginners or seasoned musicians, it's important for them to pick up the instrument and play to simply enjoy it. For Adam and Naoki, their greatest reward is seeing other musicians come to enjoy their own music, appreciate their talent, and communicate the language of music to others

Grammar
Two years later, he was already performing as a professional and gaining the respect of seasoned trumpeters from far and wide.
from far and wide= covering a large area = many different places. describe how far people came or heard from all different places.
....he was already performing as a professional and gaining the respect of seasoned trumpeters, from many different places.
The singer was so popular that people came from far and wide to attend his concert.
The free medical clinic attracted villagers from far and wide to come with their sick children and family members.

Vocabulary
fluid (n)-液体 (adj)-流畅的, 容易变动的.
*The dancers' fluid movements make the musical really enjoyable.
*The movie's fluid plot was praised by the critics.
*The fluid military situation-瞬息万变
full steam ahead- 全数用蒸汽产生的动力去推进.全速前进,全力以赴. steam-蒸汽.
*Once the board collected sufficient funds, the company proceeded full steam ahead.董事会
*The sub is now moving through the water full steam ahead.
intrigue (v)- 激发好奇心.使产生兴趣something cause to interested you.
*The world of animation intrigued the cartoonist from the time he was just a kid.动画的世界在卡通动画家还小的时候他了
*Lillian was deeply intrigued by the artist's work.深深吸引
zeal-completely eagerness.
enthusiast-every interested and involve.
collaboration-two group or people working together to achieve the goal.

distract-(离开吸引) 使分心, dis-使离开, tract-吸引.

*The students are easily distracted when there's noise outside.

*Mom told me not to distract my brother while he was cramming for his mid-term.

enthrall- (使成为奴隶）吸引住,迷住, thrall-奴隶

*The audience was completely enthralled by the plot of the movie.电影情节。

*This classic cartoon still enthralls kids today.

comprehend-了解 The little boy seems to have a problem comprehending the text.

*I cannot comprehend why she has to be so mean to her employees.

mastery (n)-不可数名词，精通，熟练的master (v)-精通，对什么精通用"of"

She acquired mastery of business negotiation through field experience. 实地经验学习

*He showed complete mastery of French during the presentation.

aspiring (adj)-有抱负的或是心怀大志的。aspire (v)-有雄心大志的

These aspiring actors dare to take on many challenges.

He used to be an aspiring politician, but now he cares nothing about politics.心怀大志得意满政客，政治

regardless-without being affected or influenced by something.不管，不顾

regardless of something- "of" usually follows after "regardless"

George insisted on going to college regardless of his family's financial situation. 坚持。

*Ray decided to take the job regardless of the pay. 不管钱多钱少.

Chat Room

discover-发现
concrete-具体的,实质的东西.
Columbus discovered America-哥伦布发现美洲新大陆.
discover abstract things-抽象东西, 如爱,喜乐,平安.
discovered a love for something. discovered a love/joy/peace.
make a discovery (idiom)-(有主动的含意,用在指人刻意的去寻找,才发现的.) 发现
Scientists make a discovery of a cure for cancer-发现
...make a discovery of the ancient treasure-发现古老的宝藏

-----------------------

combine- put together and mix it up. combine/mix 结合，混在一起的结合。如食物，音乐等。

connect-join together, may not be mix with each other结合，连接在一起，但各自独立个体。

combination is a mixture things- 混合体，混合物。

-----------------------------

season (n)-winter is a cold season, is one of the four seasons.

four seasons-Springing, Summer, Fall, Winter.

in season -时令的，当季的

season (v)-调味

seasoning (n)-调味品

seasoned (adj)-经验老到的，有多年经验的，老练的。

a seasoned musician-A really good musician, have been play and practice for many, many years, seasons after seasons