Part I: Evelyn Glennie Listens to Sound without Hearing It
Part II: The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan
This biographical account tells the inspiring story of Evelyn Glennie, a Scottish multi-percussionist who became profoundly deaf at the age of 11 but did not let her disability stop her. She learned to "feel" music through different parts of her body rather than hearing it through her ears.
• Determination: Despite losing her hearing
gradually (noticed at age 8, confirmed at 11), she refused to go
to a school for the deaf.
• Talent: She plays thousands of instruments,
mastering the xylophone and percussion.
• Work Ethic: She is a "workaholic" and attained
the highest marks in the history of the Royal Academy of Music.
• Humility: Despite her fame, she says, "If you
work hard and know where you are going, you will get there."
When teachers discouraged her, percussionist
Ron Forbes spotted her potential. He tuned two
large drums to different notes and told her:
"Don't listen through your ears, try to sense it some other
way."
Evelyn realized she could feel the higher drum from the waist up
and the lower drum from the waist down.
• Auditioned for the Royal Academy of Music,
London, and scored one of the highest marks in history.
• Moved from orchestral work to solo performances.
• Presented with the Royal Philharmonic Society's
prestigious Soloist of the Year Award in 1991.
This part traces the history of the Shehnai and the life of the legendary musician Ustad Bismillah Khan. It highlights how he transformed a folk instrument into a classical one and became a symbol of India's rich cultural heritage.
| The Pungi | The Shehnai |
|---|---|
| Banned by Emperor Aurangzeb in the royal residence. | Developed by a barber (nai) of a professional family. |
| Had a shrill and unpleasant sound. | Had a soft and melodious sound. |
| Regarded as a "noisemaker". | First played in the Shah's chamber (Shah + Nai). |
• Roots: Born in Dumraon, Bihar. Belonged to a
family of musicians.
• Early Life: Played Gilli-danda, sang Bhojpuri
'Chaita' at the Bihariji temple, and practiced at the banks of the
Ganga.
• Philosophy: A devout Muslim who played the
Shehnai at the Kashi Vishwanath temple, symbolizing India's
secular culture.
• Patriotism: He refused to settle in the USA to
head a Shehnai school because he could not live without the Ganga
and Benaras.
Answer: Evelyn hears music by feeling the vibrations through different parts of her body. She opens her mind and body to sounds. She plays barefoot on wooden platforms to feel vibrations in her feet and leans against drums to feel resonances in her torso.
Answer: Emperor Aurangzeb banned the playing of the pungi in the royal residence because it had a shrill and unpleasant sound. It was considered a noisemaker rather than a musical instrument.
Answer: While receiving the Bharat Ratna, he said: "Teach your children music, this is Hindustan's richest tradition; even the West is now coming to learn our music."