Evelyn became deaf by the time she was eleven. But she did not give up. She was determined to lead a normal life and pursue her interest in music. Ron Forbes, a percussionist spotted her potential. He asked her not to listen through ears but try to sense it some other way. She realized she could feel the higher drum from the waist up and the lower one from the waist down. Forbes repeated the exercise and soon Evelyn discovered that she could sense certain notes in different parts of her body. She learnt to open her body and mind to sounds and vibrations. She herself explained, “It pours in through every part of my body. It tingles in the skin, my cheekbones and even in my hair.” When she played on the xylophone, she could sense the sound passing up the stick into her fingertips. By leaning against the drums, she could feel the resonances flowing into her body. On the wooden floor she used to remove her shoes so that the vibrations may pass through her bare feet and up her legs.
Thinking about the Text
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Overview: The Sound of Music
Part I tells the story of Evelyn Glennie, a Scottish girl diagnosed profoundly deaf at age eleven, who became one of the world's leading percussionists by learning to feel music through vibrations in different parts of her body. Ron Forbes, her teacher, encouraged this unconventional approach. Part II chronicles Ustad Bismillah Khan, who elevated the shehnai from a wedding/folk instrument to classical concert stage. Born in Dumraon, Bihar, he remained devoted to Benaras and Indian classical music throughout his life, refusing lucrative offers abroad.
Key Points
- Part I: Evelyn Glennie — Scottish, profoundly deaf since age 11
- Percussionist Ron Forbes taught her to sense music through vibrations
- She plays barefoot to feel vibrations through the floor
- She became one of the most acclaimed percussionists in the world
- Part II: Bismillah Khan — shehnai maestro from Dumraon, Bihar
- He elevated shehnai from folk/wedding instrument to concert classical
- Played shehnai at Red Fort on India's first Independence Day (1947)
- Awarded Bharat Ratna — India's highest civilian honour
- Refused to settle abroad — deeply attached to Benaras and the Ganga
- Both parts share themes of passion, dedication, and overcoming obstacles
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Evelyn Glennie hear music despite being deaf?
Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to leave India?
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