Dame Evelyn Glennie has been a pioneer ever since taking her first footsteps into a musical career. From her early days at Ellon Academy, the 49-year-old has racked up an astonishing array of ‘firsts’, awards and accolades, including 15 honorary doctorates, an OBE and latterly a damehood.
Her profound deafness has made the headlines throughout her life, but here she tells Andrew Youngson about what she considers the far greater challenge she has had to tackle – forging a career path that didn’t previously exist.
When did music start to feel like a potential career path for you?
I think probably when I was at school in Ellon Academy, every child had the chance to learn an instrument free of charge. I had already been playing the piano and clarinet up until that point, but it was wonderful to see the opportunities within the school – the orchestra, the band, choir, recorder group and so on. So that really fuelled my interest a lot more.
What have been your career stepping stones?
I think really, it has to start with belief, that’s the first thing. So for me, it was very important to keep the aim simple. The aim of ‘I want to be a solo percussionist’ – that was it, rather than trying to put too much on your shoulders. That meant that it is very clear for everyone around me. Because success doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s a team effort.
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