Role

:

Composer Conductor  

Country

:

United Kingdom

Birth

:

July 19, 1965 in Aberdeen, Scotland

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Concerto

 

Evelyn Glennie is a Scottish percussionist and composer who has become one of the most celebrated classical musicians of her generation. Born on July 19, 1965, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Glennie was raised in a musical family and began playing the piano at the age of eight. However, it was not until she discovered percussion that she found her true calling. Glennie's interest in percussion began when she was just 12 years old and saw a group of steel drum players performing at a local fair. She was immediately drawn to the sound and the physicality of the instruments, and began experimenting with different percussion instruments at home. Despite being told by her music teacher that percussion was not a suitable instrument for a young girl, Glennie persisted and eventually convinced her parents to buy her a set of drums. Glennie's talent for percussion quickly became apparent, and she began performing in local bands and orchestras. She also began studying at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she was the first person to be awarded a full-time scholarship for percussion. After completing her studies, Glennie embarked on a career as a freelance percussionist, performing with orchestras and ensembles around the world. One of Glennie's most notable performances came in 1992, when she was invited to perform at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Barcelona. She performed a duet with Spanish tenor José Carreras, playing a set of drums that had been specially designed for the occasion. The performance was widely praised and helped to raise Glennie's profile as a musician. Glennie has also been recognized for her work as a composer, with several of her compositions being performed by orchestras and ensembles around the world. In 1993, she was commissioned by the Scottish Chamber Orchestra to write a piece for percussion and orchestra, which she titled "Venus and Vulcan". The piece was premiered at the Edinburgh International Festival and was later recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra. In addition to her performances and compositions, Glennie has also been an advocate for music education and accessibility. She has worked with organizations such as the Royal National Institute for Deaf People and the Music in Hospitals charity to promote the benefits of music for people with disabilities and illnesses. Glennie herself is deaf, having lost most of her hearing at the age of 12, and has spoken openly about the challenges and opportunities that this has presented in her career as a musician. Glennie's achievements have been recognized with numerous awards and honors. In 1993, she was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) for her services to music, and in 2007 she was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. She has also been awarded honorary degrees from several universities, including the University of Aberdeen and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Despite her many accomplishments, Glennie remains committed to pushing the boundaries of classical music and exploring new ways of creating and performing music. She continues to perform and record regularly, and has recently been working on a project to create a new type of percussion instrument that can be played using the body's natural vibrations. With her talent, creativity, and dedication to music, Evelyn Glennie is sure to remain a major figure in the world of classical music for many years to come.

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