The Sound of Music - Evelyn Glennie
Lesson - 2
The Sound of Music
Part - I
Evelyn Glennie Listens to Sound without Hearing It
By Deborah Cowley
EVELYN GLENNIE
BEFORE YOU READ
“God may have taken her hearing but he has given her back something extraordinary. What we hear, she feels — far more deeply than any of us. That is why she expresses music so beautifully.”
Read the following account of a person who fought against a physical disability and made her life a success story.
Summary
Evelyn Glennie is a multi – percussionist. She has attained mastery over almost a thousand musical instruments despite being hearing – impaired. She learnt to feel music through the body instead of hearing it through the ears.
When Evelyn was eleven years old, it was discovered that she had lost her hearing power due to nerve damage. The specialist advised that she wear hearing aids and be sent to a school for the deaf. On the contrary, Evelyn was determined to lead a normal life and follow her interest in music. Although she was discouraged by her teachers, her potential was noticed by master percussionist, Ron Forbes. He guided Evelyn to feel music some other way than to hear it through her ears. This worked well for Evelyn and she realized that she could sense different sounds through different parts of her body.
Once she had overcome this hurdle, Evelyn began her career in music. She got admission in the Royal Academy of Music, London and scored the highest marks in the history of the academy. Evelyn says that hard work and dedication towards her goal helped her achieve success. Evelyn gives solo performances and even gives free concerts for hospitals and schools. In the year 1991, she won the Royal Philharmonic Society’s prestigious ‘Soloist of the Year’ Award. Evelyn’s story is an inspiration for the differently abled who are motivated to fulfil their dreams like she did.
A Percussionist
Question and Answers
Short Answer Type Questions (1 mark each):
Q.1. How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of Music?
Answer: Evelyn was not even seventeen when she went to the Royal Academy of Music.
Q. 2. What made Isabel suspect Evelyn’s hearing ability ?
Answer: Isabel had a doubt about Evelyn’s hearing ability when she did not move when her name was called to play on the piano.
Q. 3. Why did Evelyn’s headmistress advise her parents to consult a specialist?
Answer: Evelyn’s headmistress advised her parents to consult a specialist when her marks deteriorated.
Q. 4. How does Evelyn hear the sound of xylophone ?
Answer: Evelyn hears the sound of xylophone through her finger tips.
Q. 5. Why does she remove her shoes on a wooden platform during her performance?
Answer: She removes her shoes on a wooden platform during her performance so that she can feel the vibrations of music through her feet to legs.
Q. 6. What did Evelyn decide when she was sixteen years old ?
Answer: When Evelyn was sixteen years old, she decided to make music her life.
Q. 7. How did Evelyn get right to the top?
Answer: Evelyn got to the top by hard work, motivation and determination.
Q. 8. Why did the headmistress urge her parents to take her to the specialists ?
Answer: Evelyn’s school’s headmistress urged her parents to take her to a specialist because she had a hearing problem.
Q. 9. Where was Evelyn going ?
Answer: Evelyn was going to the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London.
Q. 10. What award did Evelyn win in 1991?
Answer: In 1991 she was presented with the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Prestigious ‘Soloist of the Year Award’.
Q. 11. Who was James Blades?
Answer: James Blades was a master percussionist.
Q. 12. Who is the author of this extract - 'The Sound of Music’?
Answer: ‘Deborah Cowley’ is the author of this extract.
Q. 13. Who is Isabel Glennie?
Answer: Isabel Glennie is the mother of Evelyn Glennie.
Q. 14. At what age did Evelyn go to the Royal Academy of Music in London? What was her performance in the audition for the Royal Academy of music?
Answer: At the age of seventeen Evelyn went to the Royal Academy of Music in London. She scored the highest marks in the history of the academy.
Q. 15. At what age did Evelyn visit the United Kingdom with a youth orchestra?
Answer: At the age of sixteen Evelyn visited the United Kingdom with a youth orchestra.
Hearing Aid
Short Answer Type Questions (2 marks each) (About 30-40 words each):
Question 16: How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of Music? Why was she nervous on her way to the academy?
Answer: Evelyn was not even seventeen when she went to the Royal Academy of Music, London.
Her nervousness was the result of her young age and lack of exposure. Coming from farmland in Scotland, she had not experienced much of the world. In addition, going to a big institute like The Royal Academy of Music with her hearing disability made her uneasy.
Question 17: When and how did Evelyn lose her power of hearing ?
Answer: Evelyn lost her power of hearing due to gradual nerve damage. At the age of 8 it was noticed and then at the age of 11 it was confirmed that Evelyn had lost her hearing ability.
Question 18: Why was Evelyn nervous while going to the Royal Academy of Music?
Answer: Evelyn was nervous while going to the Royal Academy of Music as she was very young and lacked exposure. Coming from farmland in Scotland, she had not experienced much of the world. In addition, going to a big institute like The Royal Academy of Music with her hearing disability made her uneasy.
Question 19: How did Evelyn's deafness come to light?
OR, When did Evelyn’s mother notice that something was wrong with her hearing?
OR, When was Evelyn’s deafness first noticed ? When was it confirmed?
OR, At what age was Evelyn's deafness sighted first? When was her deafness confirmed?
Answer: Evelyn’s deafness was first noticed when she was eight years old. In fact, her mother had noticed it when Evelyn had not responded to a call for a performance on the piano. Her deafness was confirmed at the age of eleven when her poor academic performance forced her parents to consult a specialist, who discovered that her hearing was badly impaired because of gradual nerve damage.
Question 20: Who helped Evelyn to continue with music? What did he do and say?
Answer: It was Ron Forbes, a percussionist, who encouraged and helped Evelyn to continue with music. While everyone discouraged her, he noticed her potential and decided to develop it. He told Evelyn to hear music not through her ears but other senses of her body. He tuned two drums with different notes to make her sense the higher ones through the upper part of her body and the lower ones through down her waist.
Question 21: How did Evelyn hear music despite being deaf?
OR, How was Evelyn able to hear sounds and vibrations?
OR, How does Evelyn hear music?
OR, What does Evelyn say about music?
Answer: Being deaf, Evelyn could not hear with her ears. She says that music pours through every part of her body – through her skin, cheekbones and even her hair. When she plays the xylophone, she feels that the sounds move from the stick into the tips of her fingers. When the drums are played, she can feel the resonant sounds pouring into her body. She takes off her footwear on a wooden stage and the vibrations of the instruments pass from her bare feet into her legs. Thus, Evelyn has sensitized the different parts of her body to the different sounds of music.
Question 22: What is Evelyn’s secret of success and what message does she give to achievers?
Answer: Evelyn’s secret of success was strong determination and hard work. The message that she gives to the achievers is to work hard and get what you want.
Question 23: How has Evelyn Glennie inspired handicapped people?
Answer: When the handicapped people used to see Evelyn Glennie, they used to say, “If she can do it, I can”, And so, she resulted in inspiring them.
Question 24: Write down Evelyn's message for the people?
Answer: Evelyn’s message to the people is that—Strong determination and hard work with sincerity / honesty leads to success. Aim for your goal and try to reach your goal with full determination and concentration.
Question 25: Who was Ron Forbes? What did he inspire Evelyn for? How did he ask Evelyn to hear music?
Answer: Ron Forbes was a famous percussionist of Evelyn’s school. He inspired Evelyn to pursue her music. He asked Evelyn to hear music not through her ears but other senses of her body.
Question 26: What do you understand by the expression - “fresh from a Scottish farm”?
Answer: “Fresh from a Scottish farm” implies that the girl belonged to the family of farmers in Scotland and had not yet attained much experience or exposure in the world.
Question 27: Where did Evelyn Glennie pursue her three-year course? What were her achievements at the end of her course?
Answer: She pursued her three-year course in the most prestigious institute, the Royal Academy of Music, in London.
At the end of her course, she had captured the biggest awards in her field.
Question 28: “Everything suddenly looked black.” ー Why does Evelyn say so?
Answer: When Evelyn was advised to use hearing aids and join the school for the deaf, she felt that her future was bleak and dark. She was depressed, as all hope for great achievements seemed to have vanished. She had now become a disabled child who could not have easy access to normal life.
Question 29: Why does Evelyn say that men with bushy beards give her trouble?
Answer: Evelyn says that men with bushy beards give her trouble because she has to watch their whole face, especially their eyes, in order to grasp what they say. just watching their lips did not help as the lips remained partially hidden in the beards.
Question 30: What is Evelyn's view of her achievements?
Answer: Evelyn is so modest that she does not consider her achievements to be heroic deeds. She feels that if one has the clarity of the goal and puts in hard work, one is sure to achieve the aim. She believes that it is through hard work only that she has been able to achieve success.
Question 31: Name the various places and causes for which Evelyn performs.
Answer: Evelyn performs in regular concerts on the global level. But she also gives concerts free of charge in prisons and hospitals. In addition, she holds classes for young musicians.
Question 32: Who is James Blades? What is his opinion about Evelyn’s talent?
Answer: James Blades is a master percussionist. He believes that God might have taken Evelyn’s hearing but has given her back something extraordinary. The audience hears what she feels, which is far deeper than what any of the other percussionists feel. It is due to this talent that she expresses music so beautifully.
It is intriguing to watch Evelyn function so effortlessly without hearing
Long Answer Type Questions (4 marks each) (About 80-100 words each)
Question 33: How did Evelyn Glennie fight with her physical disability?
Answer: Evelyn Glennie was a very brave girl. She learnt to open her body and mind to the sounds and vibrations. She used to feel as if music was flowing through her body. So she joined an orchestra and later the Royal Academy of Music. She did not want to be deprived of the joy of music that made her happy. She later even gave solo performances on stage in many countries and became famous.
Question 34: “In spite of her towering success Evelyn Glennie does not accept any hint of heroic achievement.” Explain.
Answer: Evelyn Glennie had a hearing loss and was discouraged by most of the teachers but she did not give up. Ron Forbes guided her to listen through her body not ears. Eventually, Evelyn learnt to open her body and mind to sound and vibrations. She scored the highest marks in the history of the Royal Academy of Music. She also captured many top awards and brought percussion to the front of the orchestra. She has given pleasure to millions and in spite of this towering success she does not accept any hint of heroic achievement and is a very simple person.
Question 35: Evelyn’s determination to overcome her disability has made her source of inspiration for deaf children. Comment.
Answer: When Evelyn became deaf, she was determined to lead a normal life. She was encouraged by her percussion teacher. She learned to sense music through different parts of the body and opened her mind and body to vibrations. She could feel a higher drum from waist up and xylophone music through fingertips. She used to remove her shoes on the wooden floors. She was the master of a thousand instruments and most sought after as a multi – percussionist.
Question 36: How is Evelyn Glennie helping others with her popularity and skill?
Answer: Inspite of Evelyn’s deafness she joined the prestigious Royal Academy of Music and won the “Soloist of the Year” award. Evelyn used to practice for hours learning languages such as Japanese and French. She earned a lot but was kind at heart. She used to give free performances in prisons and hospitals and also proved a personal example of tireless hard work and firm determination.
Question 37: How did Evelyn succeed in pursuing her interest in music?
Answer: Evelyn decided not to give up. It was Ron Forbes who recognized her potential and supported her. He advised her not to listen through her ears but to open her body and mind to the vibrations. She mastered the art of interpreting different vibrations of sound on her body to different notes. She could feel the higher drum from the waist up and the lower one from the waist down. After the practice she could sense music in different parts of her body. And by this, Evelyn succeeded in pursuing her interest in music.
Question 38: What moral / message gives us the lesson – ‘The Sound of Music’?
Answer: Evelyn’s Glennie’s bio-sketch gives us the message that handicaps may be countered, problems may be overcome, and aspirations can be realized if one is firmly resolute and confident. Those who do learn to overcome hardships certainly achieve the highest goals. There is always a way out of the challenges of life; only one has to trace the way and adhere to it with unstaggering faith in one’s abilities.
Question 39: How does Evelyn hear music?
OR, Evelyn Glennie’s deafness was more than compensated by other parts of her body so far as music was concerned. Discuss.
Answer: Evelyn Glennie had a deep passion for music but unfortunately, she lost her hearing completely at the age of eleven years. She wanted to lead a normal life and play the xylophone, but her teachers discouraged her considering her deafness to be an obstruction. However, Ron Forbes, a great percussionist, trained her to listen to the musical sounds and vibrations not through ears, but through other parts of her body. He created two drums with different sounds to make her hear the higher beats from the upper part of her body and the lower beats from the parts lower than her waist. The experiment was so effective that Evelyn opened her mind and body to the fine sounds of music.
Evelyn now believes that music penetrates into her through every part – through her skin, cheekbones and even her hair. When she plays the xylophone, she feels that the sounds move from the stick into the tips of her fingers. When the drums are played, she can feel the resonant sounds pouring into her body. She takes off her footwear on a wooden stage and the vibrations of the instruments pass from her bare feet into her legs. Thus, Evelyn has sensitized the different parts of her body to the different sounds of music.
40. Word-notes and Vocabulary:
Jostle = push roughly ; Slight = small and thin ; Daunting = frightening ; Teenager = between the age group of thirteen to nineteen years ; Gradual = taking place by degree ; Deteriorated = become worse ; Severely = very much ; Impaired = weakened ; Damage = harm ; Give up = loose heart ; Pursue = to continue ; Potential = ability; capacity ; Sheer = pure ; Toured = visited ; Auditioned = testing performance ; Solo = single ; Schedule = time-table ; Intriguing = fascinating ; lilt = accent of speaking ; Tingles = stinging sensation ; Leaning = stooping ; Resonances = sounds ; Delights = pleases ; Confesses = accepts ; Priority = preference ; Inspiration = courage ; Accomplished = completed ; Percussion = tabla (music instrument) ; Rush hour — A time when people usually travel; Crowd — a large number of people gathered together; Underground — below the earth; Vibration — slight shaking movement; Approach — reach close; Prestigious — having high status; reputed; honoured ; Aspiring — having strong desire; Challenge — difficult job; Profoundly — extreme; seriously ; Realise — come to know; Conceal — hide; Deafness — inability to hear; Specialist — a highly skilled person in a specific field; Impair — hinder; Aid — support; Determine — to be certain to do something; Pursue — follow; Discouraged — made somebody less confident; Percussionist — a player of a musical instrument; Hectic — very busy; Intrigue — secret plan; Function — work; Effortlessly — easily; Especially — used to point out one person, thing, or situation, Flawlessly — without stopping; Fingertip — the tip of a finger; Surprisingly — with surprise; Delight — great pleasure; Audience — a group of people gathered to watch/listen to a play; Soloist — a person who plays an instrument; Extraordinary — uncommon; Confess — accept; Workaholic — too much devoted to work; Classical — relating to ancient art; Enormous — huge, very big; Concert — musical performance; Accomplish — to achieve; Handicapped — physically or mentally disabled; Pleasure — happiness.
Evelyn Glennie
Extract Based Questions (3 marks each)
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow.
Passage 1:
Her mother remembers noticing something was wrong when the eight-year-old Evelyn was waiting to play the piano. “They called her name and she didn’t move. I suddenly realized she hadn’t heard,” says Isabel Glennie. For quite a while Evelyn managed to conceal her growing deafness from friends and teachers. But by the time she was eleven her marks had deteriorated and her headmistress urged her parents to take her to a specialist.
Questions:
i) What made Isabel suspect Evelyn’s hearing ability ?
ii) Why did Evelyn’s headmistress advise her parents to consult a specialist?
iii) Find the word/phrase in the passage which means the same as “to hide”.
Answers:
i) Isabel had a doubt about Evelyn’s hearing ability when she did not move when her name was called to play on the piano.
ii) Evelyn’s headmistress advised her parents to consult a specialist when her marks deteriorated.
iii) The word is ‘Conceal’.
Passage 2:
As for music, she explains “it pours in through every part of my body. It tingles in the skin, my cheekbones and even in my hair”. When she plays the xylophone, she can sense the sound passing up the stick into her finger tips. By leaning against the drums, she can feel the resonances flowing into her body. On a wooden platform, she removes her shoes so that the vibrations pass through her bare feet and up her legs.
Questions:
i) How does Evelyn hear the sound of xylophone ?
ii) Why does she remove her shoes on a wooden platform during her performance ?
iii) Find a word from the passage that means “take off”.
Answers:
i) Evelyn hears the sound of xylophone through her finger tips.
ii) She removes her shoes on a wooden platform during her performance so that she can feel the vibrations of music through her feet to legs.
iii) The word is ‘Removes’.
Passage 3:
She never looked back from that point onwards. She toured the United Kingdom with a youth orchestra and by the time she was sixteen, she had decided to make music her life. She auditioned for the Royal Academy of Music and scored one of the highest marks in the history of the academy. She gradually moved from orchestral work to solo performances.
Questions:
i) What did Evelyn decide when she was sixteen years old ?
ii) How did Evelyn get right to the top ?
iii) Which word in the passage means the same as “gave a short performance so that the director could decide whether she was good enough”.
Answers:
i) When Evelyn was sixteen years old, she decided to make music her life.
ii) Evelyn got to the top by hard work, motivation and determination.
iii) The word is ‘Auditioned’.
Passage 4:
For quite a while, Evelyn managed to conceal her growing deafness from friends and teachers. But by the time she was eleven, her marks had deteriorated and her headmistress urged her parents to take her to a specialist. It was then discovered that her hearing was severely impaired as a result of gradual nerve damage. They were advised that she should be fitted with hearing aids and sent to a school of the deaf.
Questions:
i) Why did the headmistress urge her parents to take her to the specialists ?
ii) At what age were symptoms of deafness noticed in Evelyn ?
iii) Trace the word that means “damaged”.
Answers:
i) Evelyn’s school’s headmistress urged her parents to take her to a specialist because she had a hearing problem.
ii) At the age of eleven the symptoms of deafness were noticed in Evelyn.
iii) The word is ‘Impaired’.
Passage 5:
Rush hour crowds jostle for position on the underground train platform. A slight girl, looking younger than her seventeen years, was nervous yet excited as she felt the vibrations of the approaching train. It was her first day at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London and daunting enough for any teenager fresh from a Scottish farm.
Questions:
i) Who is the ‘girl’ in the above lines ?
ii) Where was she going ?
iii) Find the word from the extract that means “frightening”.
Answers:
i) The 'girl’ is here Evelyn Glennie.
ii) She was going to the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London.
iii) The word is ‘Daunting’.
Value Based Question (4 marks)
Question : “A problem is only as big as we make it.” - This thought has been very beautifully brought out in the lesson. Discuss.
Answer : Evelyn Glennie is profoundly deaf and cannot hear a word. Thus, she overcame this difficulty and learnt to listen to music from her body. She not only scored highest marks in the history of the Royal Academy of Music but also became a renowned musician. She is an idol for a lot of people and a source of inspiration for them. Her story tells us that no problem is so great that it cannot be overcome.
The Sound of Music (Part-2), full extract is available on my blog. Please visit my site.
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