Quotes By Evelyn Glennie
I often play on the cello-bass side of the orchestra, because I prefer the deep sounds. I can't hear the violins well.
Evelyn Glennie
I love out-of-the-way, rugged places. For me, holidays are about the experiences, and the people, and the memories, rather than sitting on a nice beach getting tanned. I try to plant myself where I am and embrace what is there in front of me.
Evelyn Glennie
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.
Evelyn Glennie
Society cannot continue to disable themselves through their need to categorize people or make assumptions as to another individual's abilities.
Evelyn Glennie
There are many collaborations I'd like to explore. One is to co-write a rap concerto with Eminem.
Evelyn Glennie
A large part of my work has been collaborating with composers; I think we've commissioned about 140 pieces now, a lot of them percussion concertos.
Evelyn Glennie
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.
Evelyn Glennie
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.
Evelyn Glennie
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.
Evelyn Glennie
I think I can only help to expose percussion to all sorts of people. The balance between the lighter and more serious side is important.
Evelyn Glennie
Apart from Scottish traditional music, I wasn't really influenced by any kind of music. I just basically followed my own instincts.
Evelyn Glennie
I am really quite fascinated by echo-locating bats and dolphins and have always wondered how sound affects the unconscious brain.
Evelyn Glennie
I walk into a kids' store, and it's amazing, the types of instruments - little squeaky things, rattling things, spinning tops.
Evelyn Glennie
Concerts have to be seen as a real event for which the aim is to try and feed everybody.
Evelyn Glennie
There's still a lot I need to do as a player, as a musician, as a sound creator. I have commissioned 170 pieces: that's still not enough, there are still lots and lots of composers I would like to approach. When I see a composer and I see a performer, I think to combine those forces.
Evelyn Glennie
Before my teen years, I was losing my hearing pretty quickly, and I was getting very, very angry. I was beginning to become an angry person because of that.
Evelyn Glennie
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.
Evelyn Glennie
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.
Evelyn Glennie
When I was 12, I happened to see a schoolmate playing percussion, and it looked interesting. I asked for lessons, and it felt right.
Evelyn Glennie
If we see someone in a wheelchair, we assume they cannot walk. It may be that they can walk three, four, five steps. That, to them, means they can walk.
Evelyn Glennie
My favorite instrument is the snare drum. In Scotland, the snare drum is very prominent in Highland bands. The Scottish style of playing is in my blood. It's a very powerful instrument, but it can also be soothing, like velvet. It's a real challenge for composers.
Evelyn Glennie
It's the things that you notice when you're not actually with your instrument that, in fact, become so interesting, and that you - you want to explore, through this tiny tiny surface of a drum.
Evelyn Glennie
Music is about communication... it isn't just something that maybe physically sounds good or orally sounds interesting; it's something far, far deeper than that.
Evelyn Glennie
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.
Evelyn Glennie