In this interview, Hannah Nepilova speaks to the percussionist Evelyn Glennie, who, with the composer Dan Jones, has co-composed a score for the ITV crime drama Code of Silence in which a deaf waitress with lip-reading abilities is pulled into an investigation.
- Look: Gallery of Charles Brooks’s Architecture in Music series | photos of the insides of musical instruments
- Watch: Photographer Charles Brooks on his images exploring the insides of instruments
Evelyn Glennie, born in 1965 in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, is a pioneering percussionist who has redefined the role of percussion in classical music. Despite becoming profoundly deaf by the age of 12, she developed a unique method of “hearing” music through vibrations, allowing her to feel sound with her entire body. Her innovative approach has enabled her to perform globally with leading orchestras and artists, and she has been instrumental in expanding the repertoire for solo percussion, commissioning over 200 new works.
- Read: Interview with luthier and painter Saulo Dantas-Barreton on his illustrated instruments
- Read: Review of Music Box Village | a shanty town in New Orleans that is also a musical instrument
Evelyn Glennie’s career is marked by numerous accolades, including two Grammy Awards, the Polar Music Prize in 2015, and the Léonie Sonning Music Prize in 2023. She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2007 and became a Companion of Honour in 2017 . Beyond performance, she is dedicated to education and advocacy. In 2023, she established The Evelyn Glennie Foundation to promote active listening across various sectors.