Fotos: Daniel Gierig; DarrenMower/iStock.com
76 Spotlight 11/2019 MY LIFE IN ENGLISH
admire [Ed(maIE]
, bewundern
lyrics [(lIrIks]
, Songtext(e)
Milan [mI(lÄn]
, Mailand
primary school
[(praImEri sku:l] UK
, Grundschule
tipped: get ~ [tIpt]
, ein Trinkgeld bekom-
men
Why is English important to you?
English is the basic medium for interna-
tional communication. All of the com-
munication that takes place between my
international partners and myself is in
English. I was in Milan just recently with
my team in order to record a cover version
of a song and create a video with a really
excellent Italian musician. Without Eng-
lish as the basis for our communication,
the recording would probably never have
taken place. We would have struggled to
understand each other.
When was your first English lesson?
My first English lesson was in primary
school, probably around year three. The
only memory I have — and this is prob-
ably not surprising, coming from a mu-
sician — is the song “Head, Shoulders,
Knees and Toes”. I still use the song today
when I’m teaching kids at kindergarten.
Who is your favourite English-language
actor, writer or musician?
This has to be Ed Sheeran. I am a big fan
of his music, and I admire his live perfor-
mances — one man, his loop pedal and an
audience of ten thousand. Amazing!
Which song could you sing at least a few
lines of in English?
As I earn my living making music, I can
sing quite a few lyrics of quite a few songs.
What is your favourite food from the
English-speaking world?
Brownies!
Which person from the English-
speaking world (living or dead) would
you most like to meet?
Elvis Presley — I’d just like to sing one
round of “Jailhouse Rock” with the King.
Which is your favourite city in the
English-speaking world?
Melbourne, Australia. It’s the place where
I started playing music on the street, and
I have great memories of that city. The
people there are also very cool, and the
city has a special flair.
Have you ever worked in an English-
speaking environment? If so, where?
I once worked as a waiter for a couple
of months at a Greek restaurant in Mel-
bourne. It was interesting to find out just
how much — or, rather, little — you get
tipped as a waiter working abroad.
What was your best experience in
English?
I think my best experience in English was
this: you are not a native speaker, but you
have to speak English so much that you
even start thinking in English without
noticing it. That was my best experience,
at least.
Which English word was the hardest for
you to learn to pronounce?
I remember struggling to get out the
word “accommodation” correctly.
If you suddenly found yourself with a
free afternoon in London or New York,
what would you do?
I would probably try to find a nice street
corner where I could play some music.
Is there anything in your home from the
English-speaking world?
This is probably a cliché, coming from a
musician, but there are always a couple
of bottles of good whisky in the cupboard.
What would be your motto in English?
“Live with passion!”
MY LIFE IN ENGLISH
Daniel Aubeck
Daniel Aubeck ist ein junger und erfolgreicher Musiker aus Bayern.
Hier erzählt er Spotlight, warum er gerne Elvis Presley kennengelernt hätte.
MEDIUM