Evelyn Glennie
Evelyn Glennie
Dame Evelyn Elizabeth Ann Glennie, DBEis a Scottish virtuoso percussionist. She is announced as one of the two laureates for the Polar Music Prize of 2015...
NationalityScottish
ProfessionDrummer
Date of Birth19 July 1965
dry experience
Marimba is much more of a wood-type experience and there is no real possibility of getting a dry sound, and getting that contrast in the same way that you can in a vibraphone.
deaf profoundly
How can a profoundly deaf person become a musician?
almost body form hearing hits opening
Hearing is a form of touch. I hear it through the body, by opening myself up. Sometimes it almost hits you in the face.
allow dynamic less simply suddenly
If I just simply let go, and allow my hand, my arm, to be more of a support system, suddenly - I have more dynamic with less effort. Much more, and I just feel, at last, one with the stick, and one with the drum.
age musician late
I didn't decide to become a musician until the age of 15, which is quite late.
kids spinning-around littles
I walk into a kids' store, and it's amazing, the types of instruments - little squeaky things, rattling things, spinning tops.
trying plant embrace
I try to plant myself where I am and embrace what is there in front of me.
beautiful sweet kings
The thing about playing percussion is that you can create all these emotions that can be sometimes beautiful, sometimes really ugly, or sometimes sweet, sometimes as big as King Kong and so on. And so there can be a real riot out there, or it can be so refined.
jobs home airports
I associate going to an airport with work because I travel so much with my job. So when I have a few days free from work, I tend to stay at home.
thinking knowing world
I just assumed the world was full of solo percussionists. I couldn't find sticks or music or anything where I was, but that was expected because there was nothing there anyway. And I think that was possibly the greatest asset for me, just not knowing.
sparkle
I like the sparkle of the vibraphone.
mean play differences
I suppose I don't hear things, but I listen, if you know what I mean. And there is a big difference between hearing and listening. So it's like a conversation, you know. When you speak to someone, it's one on one, and that's exactly how I play.
country musician realizing
Once you're in a particular country, and you're surrounded by musicians who are so adept at traditional music, you suddenly realize how much there is to explore and digest and learn and experience.
years play order
Percussion is physical, as most instruments are. The body must function well in order to play the instruments well. Last year I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.