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
drum enjoyed foreign holiday honeymoon music remained scores special
My first real foreign holiday was my honeymoon 20 years ago, and we went to Bali. It was particularly special for that reason, I enjoyed it very much - I had packed music scores and a practice drum pad, suspecting that I would be completely bored, but actually they remained in my case.
assumed career classical fact full music realized solo studied
Of course, I just assumed that the world was full of solo percussionists. It was only when I studied music full time, in London, that I realized that the career of a full-time classical percussionist did not in fact exist. It had to be created.
hearing might size
My hearing is out of the ordinary as others might see it, but not for me. I'm used to my hearing in the same way that I'm used to the size of my hands.
human life tick
My whole life is about sound. It's what makes me tick as a human being.
planet power role
My role on the planet is to bring the power of sound.
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.
music
What I have to do as a musician is do everything that is not on the music.
picked
Anything you strike, anything you shake or rattle, or just anything that can be picked up, and you can create a sound.
healthier longer
As we live longer and healthier for longer, we need to keep ourselves busy... the diary is pretty full.
reached
I want to be able to say on my deathbed that I reached a few people. That would be very nice, just to be able to say that.
deaf profoundly
How can a profoundly deaf person become a musician?
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.