Evelyn Glennie

“I hope the seeds I have sown will be taken up by those who will follow me because the journey I have begun cannot be undertaken in isolation.”

“Music is about communication... it isn't just something that maybe physically sounds good or orally sounds interesting; it's something far, far deeper than that.”

“I think I can only help to expose percussion to all sorts of people. The balance between the lighter and more serious side is important.”

“Holidays are about experiences and people, and tuning into what you feel like doing at that moment. Enjoy not having to look at a watch.”

“Hearing is a form of touch. I could hear less through the ears but more through the body.”

“Music really is our daily medicine.”

“It's the things that you notice when you're not actually with your instrument that, in fact, become so interesting, and that you - you want to explore, through this tiny tiny surface of a drum.”

“There's still a lot I need to do as a player, as a musician, as a sound creator. I have commissioned 170 pieces: that's still not enough, there are still lots and lots of composers I would like to approach. When I see a composer and I see a performer, I think to combine those forces.”

“I associate going to an airport with work because I travel so much with my job. So when I have a few days free from work, I tend to stay at home.”

“I suppose I don't hear things, but I listen, if you know what I mean. And there is a big difference between hearing and listening. So it's like a conversation, you know. When you speak to someone, it's one on one, and that's exactly how I play.”

“If we see someone in a wheelchair, we assume they cannot walk. It may be that they can walk three, four, five steps. That, to them, means they can walk.”

“I didn't decide to become a musician until the age of 15, which is quite late.”

“The human body and mind are tremendous forces that are continually amazing scientists and society. Therefore, we have no choice but to keep an open mind as to what the human being can achieve.”

“Marimba is much more of a wood-type experience and there is no real possibility of getting a dry sound, and getting that contrast in the same way that you can in a vibraphone.”

“The body's like a huge ear. It's as simple as that.”

“Concerts have to be seen as a real event for which the aim is to try and feed everybody.”

“Percussion is the most adaptable family of instruments. The biggest challenge is to project percussion in a lyrical way.”

“My favorite instrument is the snare drum. In Scotland, the snare drum is very prominent in Highland bands. The Scottish style of playing is in my blood. It's a very powerful instrument, but it can also be soothing, like velvet. It's a real challenge for composers.”

“Hearing is a form of touch. You feel it through your body, and sometimes it almost hits your face.”

“I like the sparkle of the vibraphone.”