Awarded Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2007, Evelyn Glennie is the
first person in musical history to successfully create and sustain a full-time career
as a solo percussionist. As one of the most eclectic and innovative musicians on
the scene today she is constantly redefining the goals and expectations of
percussion by creating performances of such vitality they almost constitute a new
type of performance.
Since graduating with an Honours degree from the Royal Academy of Music in
London at the age of 19 Evelyn gives more than 100 performances a year
worldwide, performing with the greatest conductors, orchestras, and artists. Her
diversity of collaborations include visual mixing with live music and improvisation
with DJ Yoda and as a budding 'Beat Boxer' with Shlomo. She is also creating new
challenges through her collaboration with Marc Brew Productions Ltd for Dance
collaboration planned for the 2012 Cultural Olympics as well as collaborations
including Nana Vasconcelos, Kodo, Bela Fleck, Bjork, Bobby McFerrin, Sting,
Emmanuel Ax, Kings Singers, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Fred Frith and the Taipei
Chinese Orchestra.
As the leading commissioner of around 170 new works for solo percussion from
many of the world's most eminent composers, the repertoire continues to
expand. As a double Grammy award winner and BAFTA nominee Evelyn is in
demand as a composer in her own right and records high quality music for film,
television and music libraries. The film Touch the Sound and her enlightening TED
speech remain key visual & audio testimonies to her world of sound creation
knowledge and understanding. Most recent film and drama scores include Golf in
the Kingdom, The Trench and Trial and Retribution.
Experience based on presenting two series of her own television programmes
(Soundbites) for the BBC and several radio programmes to regular appearances
on television across the world, including The David Letterman Show, Sesame
Street, The South Bank Show, presenting and performing on Songs of Praise,
Commonwealth Games Festival Concert, This is Your Life, 60 minutes, PBS Profile
demonstrates an incredible journey by an amazing woman who continues to
develop and evolve.
Solo recordings now exceed 28 CD's including the Grammy award winning Sonata
for Two Pianos and Percussion by Bartok and her collaboration with Bela Fleck.
Shadow Behind the Iron Sun continues to be a best selling album demonstrating
the brilliant improvisational skills of this ground breaking performer.
As a successful author she wrote her autobiography at 24 and is now reaching out
to audiences as a columnist in Tom Tom Magazine for female drummers and
remains a keen lobbyist for change and improvement in the world of music
education. As an eminent activist in the world of motivational speaking her
message is delivered loud and clear on 'How to Listen' to a variety of diverse
corporate companies, key educational institutes as well as public and private
events.
As a keen collector of percussion instruments Evelyn's own private collection is
now estimated at over 1800 instruments. She continues to expand and explore
natural materials such as stones & rocks to create new developments in the world
of sound. Evelyn has collaborated with Geology departments at Leeds University
on the development of two 21st Century Lithophones. One of these instruments is
now housed in the Linton room at the former home of John Ruskin at Brantwood,
Coniston, UK and Portland Stone Quarry Trust.
Based on her childhood fascination with trinkets comes her love of jewellery.
Designing in collaboration with Ortak based in her ancestral home of the Orkney
Isles she brings her own organic uniqueness to the collaboration using her
percussive experience to create ranges of jewellery.
With over 86 international awards to date Evelyn continues to feed the next
generation through advice and guidance as a Consultant and offers prestigious
and much sought after Master classes and Lecture demonstrations to all types of
instrumentalists. She also gives presentations to the sports world on visualisation
techniques. Evelyn is based in the beautiful countryside of Cambridgeshire,
United Kingdom.
June 2011 – Please discard any previously dated materials.
