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...ents in any given show (she travels with up to two tons of gear). By playing barefoot, Evelyn is able to experience the music fully. Her attacks contain a controlled ferocity or an astounding delicacy; her ultra-speed and accuracy can barely be described.
Much media attention has been given to the fact that Evelyn is a deaf musician. Without dwelling on the subject, Evelyn believes the general understanding of "deaf" is incorrect.
Evelyn is profoundly deaf, and she doesn't feel the need to make a big deal about it. After she lost her hearing when she was young, Evelyn spent a lot of time with her percussion teacher Ron Forbes, refining her ability to detect vibration. She can distinguish the rough pitch of notes by associating where on her body she feels the sound. Truth be told, Evelyn's hearing is something that bothers other people far more than it bothers her. Since she is one of the world's top international musicians, it must not make much of a difference to the orchestras, conductors, or venues.
To individually list all of Evelyn's awards and achievements is not only impossible but a pointless exercise. For the first ten years of her career virtually every performance Evelyn gave was in some way a first. The first time an orchestra had performed with a percussion soloist, the first solo percussion performance at a venue or festival or the world premiere of a new percussion concerto.
Evelyn gives more than 100 performances a year all over the world to universal critical acclaim from the toughest of reviewers in many of the world's most esteemed publications. The fact that Evelyn has performed with virtually all of the world's finest orchestras and greatest conductors in the most famous concert halls only proves that Evelyn is one of the world's top international concert soloists and the most in demand solo percussionist in the world.
What takes Evelyn a step beyond others is that she combines her superb technical abilities, a profound appreciation of the visual elements of percussion along with her astonishing musicality to create performances of such stunning vitality that they almost constitute a new type of performance. To this end Evelyn has commissioned over one hundred new works for solo percussion from many of the world's most talented composers. Despite all the advice to the contrary, Evelyn is not only the first person to successfully create and sustain a full-time career as a solo percussionist in the history of classical music but is redefining the goals and expectations of percussion students, orchestras, concert promoters and the general public the world over.
Evelyn's recording career has been as illustrious as her performing career. Evelyn's first CD, a recording of Bartok's "Sonata for two Pianos and Percussion" won her a Grammy in 1988. Rather than an ambition achieved, winning the most highly regarded recording prize in the world was only the first step for Evelyn. Subsequent solo recordings have earned a further two Grammy nominations, one of which won in 2002 (Bela Fleck collaboration for Sony Classical), a Classic CD Award and great critical acclaim. Evelyn's twelfth solo CD, Shadow Behind the Iron Sun (BMG Records) was based on a radical concept and has once again questioned people's expectations. Despite working a relentless schedule Evelyn is in constant demand to release new recordings, nineteen so far, the three most recent being 'The Music of Christopher Rouse' (ONDINE), 'Oriental Landscapes' (BIS) and 'Fractured Lines' by Mark-Anthony Turnage (CHANDOS) and a further two albums awaiting a release date.
Outside of actual performance Evelyn excels in everything to which she turns her hand. From writing a bestselling autobiography, Good Vibrations, to hosting two series of her own television programs for the BBC. Evelyn regularly appears on television across the world, most recent appearances include The David Letterman Show (USA), Sesame Street (USA), The Michael Barrymore Show (UK) and presenting and performing on Songs of Praise (UK). Evelyn's Commonwealth Games Festival Concert was broadcast on BBC4 and she has been collaborating with the renowned film director Thomas Riedelsheimer on a new film called 'Touch the Sound', which premieres in Edinburgh on 20th August 2004.
Evelyn composes and records music for film and television. As in her performance career, Evelyn has already made a significant impact. Evelyn's first foray into the area of TV commercials resulted in such innovative music that it was subsequently paraphrased by others. Her first high quality drama produced a score so original she was nominated for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards (BAFTA's); the UK equivalent of the Oscars.
Evelyn Glennie has already achieved virtually every accolade or ambition of which any aspiring musician could possibly dream. In 1993 Evelyn was awarded the OBE (Officer of the British Empire) for her services to music. Throughout all of this Evelyn still retains the same level of drive and determination. Talking with Evelyn, either privately or on air, is a humbling experience. Seeing how unaffected she is by her amazing accomplishments is enough to make you question your understanding of what is possible. Evelyn herself though, feels she has barely scratched the surface. She is still full of drive and enthusiasm and is brimming with ideas to improve the experience for the audience and redefine the very format of live performance itself.
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- Inspiration & Motivation
- Achieving the impossible
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