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 combining superb technique, a profound
appreciation of the visual and her astonishing musicality, Evelyn creates
performances of such vitality that they almost constitute a new type of
performance.
Evelyn gives more than 100 performances a year worldwide, performing with the
greatest conductors, orchestras, and artists. For the first ten years of her
career virtually every performance she 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
piece. Her diversity of collaborations have included performances artists such
as Nana Vasoncelos, Kodo, Bela Fleck, Bjork, Bobby McFerrin, Sting, Kings
Singers,and Fred Frith.
Evelyn has commissioned one hundred and thirty three new works for solo
percussion from many of the world's most eminent composers and also composes and
records music for film and television (EG Composer). 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's recording career has been as illustrious as her performing and
composing career. Evelyn's first CD, a recording of Bartok's Sonata for two
Pianos and Percussion won her a Grammy in 1988. A further two Grammy nominations
followed, one of which she won in 2002 for a collaboration with Bela Fleck for
Sony Classical. 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, twenty two so far.
Outside of actual performance the Evelyn Glennie brand is constantly exploring
other areas of creativity. From writing a best selling autobiography, Good
Vibrations, to collaborating with the renowned film director Thomas
Riedelsheimer on a film called Touch the Sound, to presenting two series of her
own television programmes for the BBC, to regularly appearing on television
across the world, which include The David Letterman Show (USA), Sesame Street
(USA), The South Bank Show (UK), presenting and performing on Songs of Praise (UK),
Commonwealth Games Festival Concert, This is Your Life (UK), 60 minutes(USA),
PBS Profile (USA), and many more.
Evelyn's activities also include lobbying the Government on political issues as
diverse as music education and parking rights for motorbikes (she is a keen
biker). Other aspects include EG Images which supplies photographs from a vast
image library of Evelyn, EG Jewellery which is a range of Jewellery designed and
made by EG based on her influences as a solo percussionist, EG Merchandise, and
EG 21st Guidance which displays Evelyn as an international motivational speaker
to many diverse corporate companies and events.
After 20 years in the music business she has begun teaching privately which
allows her to explore the art of teaching and to explore the world of sound
therapy as a means of communication.
In 1993 Evelyn was awarded the OBE (Officer of the British Empire) for her
services to music, and to date has received no less than 70 international awards.
She is brimming with ideas to improve the experience for the audience and
continues to redefine the very format of live performance itself.
Please visit Evelyn's website at
www.evelyn.co.uk