The Sound of Music - I Question and Answers

Answer these questions in a few words or a couple of sentences each.

1. How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of Music?

Evelyn was seventeen years old when she got admission in the Royal Academy of Music, London.

2. When was her deafness first noticed? When was it confirmed?

When Evelyn was eight years old, her mother, Isabelle Glennie noticed that Evelyn did not respond to her name being called out at the piano class. It was found that she could not hear properly. Evelyn’s loss of hearing was gradual. Initially, she hid the fact from her teachers and friends. When she was eleven, her parents took her to a doctor as she was getting less marks. Then, it was discovered that Evelyn was profoundly deaf.

Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (30–40 words).

1. Who helped her to continue with music? What did he do and say?

Evelyn was discouraged by her teachers. Master-percussionist Ron Forbes spotted her talent and potential. He guided Evelyn to feel music some other way rather than hearing it. He got two large drums and tuned them to different notes. When he played the drums, Evelyn reacted to the distinct notes differently. She realized that she could feel the higher notes produced by one of the drums through the upper part of her body, above the waist and the lower notes of the other drum through the lower part of her body, below the waist. This worked well for Evelyn and gradually, she found that she could sense different sounds and vibrations through different parts of her body.

2. Name the various places and causes for which Evelyn performs.

Evelyn made her first tour at the age of sixteen, when she performed with a youth orchestra. She toured the United Kingdom and after that tour she decided that she would make a career in music. She started giving solo performances. She has made her name in the field of music. Evelyn is a popular musician with a busy international schedule. Apart from the regular concerts, she also does charity and performs for hospitals and prisons. Evelyn also holds classes for young musicians.

Answer the question in two or three paragraphs (100–150 words).

1. How does Evelyn hear music?

Evelyn Glennie was passionate about music. Unfortunately, she lost her sense of hearing by the age of eleven.  Evelyn was discouraged by her teachers. Master-percussionist Ron Forbes spotted her talent and potential. He guided Evelyn to feel music some other way rather than hearing it. He got two large drums and tuned them to different notes. When he played the drums, Evelyn reacted to the distinct notes differently.

Evelyn can feel music penetrate her body though various parts. She removes her footwear as she performs on a wooden floor so that she can feel the vibrations produced by different instruments pass through her feet up her legs. Thus, Evelyn has trained her body to listen to the music.