The Cowdray Hall centenary celebrations continue with a special in conversation event on March 13 with Dame Evelyn Glennie and journalist Fiona Stalker.
Dame Evelyn will discuss her trailblazing career as the world’s leading solo percussionist, who has performed worldwide with the greatest orchestras and artists. A double GRAMMY award winner, founder of The Evelyn Glennie Foundation and curator of The Evelyn Glennie Collection of almost 4,000 percussion instruments. Since 2021 she has been Chancellor of Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen.
The event will be BSL-interpreted and is supported by The Wood Foundation.
Born in Methlick in Aberdeenshire, Evelyn studied at Ellon Academy. Her first instruments were piano and clarinet. She was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland and the Cults Percussion Ensemble, formed in 1976 by her school percussion teacher Ron Forbes. She went on to study at Royal Academy of Music, London. The Cowdray Hall was the venue for Evelyn’s first solo performance. A programme held in The Evelyn Glennie Collection shows that she played a solo in a public concert in 1974. She was selected as a soloist for being the highest marked Grade 1 piano candidate in Aberdeenshire. She was just 8 years old.
When she performed her first percussion concerto in the history of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in 1992, she paved the way for orchestras globally to feature percussion concerti. Evelyn composes music for film, television, theatre and music library companies. She is a BAFTA nominee. She regularly provides masterclasses and consultations to inspire the next generation of musicians. She is a leading commissioner of new works, recognising young talent.
The Evelyn Glennie Podcast was launched in 2020 featuring popular personalities from the world of music, sport, television and academia. The film Touch the Sound and TED Talk are key testimonies to her unique and innovative approach to sound-creation. Continuing her mission to Teach the World to Listen she founded The Evelyn Glennie Foundation in 2023, which aims to improve communication and social cohesion by encouraging everyone to discover new ways of listening in order to inspire, to create, to engage and to empower.
Dame Evelyn said, “The Cowdray Hall has always held a special place in my heart, not just for its wonderful acoustics, but for the sense of history and community it brings to every event. It's a cornerstone of Aberdeen's cultural life, and I feel incredibly proud to be associated with a venue that continues to inspire both artists and audiences alike."
In conversation: Dame Evelyn Glennie and Fiona Stalker
Friday, March 13, 7.30pm, Cowdray Hall, Aberdeen Art Gallery, Schoolhill Aberdeen AB10 1FQ
Tickets £24 / £20 concessions
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(biography courtesy of www.evelyn.co.uk)