Evelyn Glennie, deaf artist who drums with the best<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Evelyn Glennie, percussionist supreme, will soon
\nbe featured in concert at the Jakarta Hilton Convention Center
\ntogether with a gamelan ensemble.<\/p>\n
Nothing extraordinary about that -- there have been countless
\nmusicians schooled in western traditions who have successfully
\ncome to Indonesia to work and perform together with local
\nartists.<\/p>\n
Indonesia too has regularly sent gamelan ensembles abroad,
\nresulting in the development of local groups in such countries as
\nthe U.S., Australia, Germany, the U.K., Japan, etc.<\/p>\n
What makes the forthcoming Rhythms of Harmony (Saturday, June
\n18) so distinctive is that Evelyn Glennie is deaf, and has been
\nsince the age of 12. But even this does not make her unique in
\nthe world of music.<\/p>\n
Rare, perhaps, but not unique.<\/p>\n
Beethoven and Gabriel Faure were also deaf, but both were
\ncomposers and could \"hear\" in their mind how they intended their
\nworks to sound. Both, however, became deaf at a much more
\nadvanced age than Glennie, who began to lose her hearing at the
\nage of eight.<\/p>\n
What is remarkable about Evelyn Glennie is her enormous talent
\nin a field that is completely dependent on a sense that she
\nlacks. That talent combined with a steely determination enabled
\nher to be accepted at no less than the august Royal Academy of
\nMusic from which she graduated with honors.<\/p>\n
Since then, she has performed in many countries and with major
\norchestras throughout the world.<\/p>\n
The loss of one sense often enhances one or all of the other
\nfour, and in Evelyn Glennie's case, her sense of touch has been
\nsharpened; for if she cannot hear, how else can she perceive
\nsounds but through the vibrations produced by various musical
\ninstruments?<\/p>\n
By reading, and thereby \"hearing\" the music. But that applies
\nonly to Western music.<\/p>\n
Little or none of non-Western music -- one of Glennie's key
\ninterests -- is found in written form. Her interest in this
\ngenre, which will be featured in her Jakarta performances, has
\nled her to other styles including Brazilian and Japanese music.<\/p>\n
Evelyn Glennie will perform at two concerts here. The one at
\nthe Jakarta Hilton Convention Center will be a charity event with
\nproceeds going to the Indonesian Red Cross. On Sunday, June 19,
\nanother concert will be held at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, and
\nwill be attended by President Soeharto and Mrs. Tien Soeharto.<\/p>\n
--Gus Kairupan<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/evelyn-glennie-deaf-artist-who-drums-with-the-best-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }