Evelyn Glennie

Evelyn Glennie's performance at the TED conference was very stimulating both to the eyes and the ears. She had a very unique style of playing in both her body movement and the actual sounds she created with the instruments she played. It was very calming in my opinion to hear her play music. Even when she was talking she was captivating. What she was saying was so inspiring. People are so narrow minded to think that we can only hear through our ears. There are so many other aspects, as she said, to listening and hearing music and the sounds around us.

It was inspiring to hear her play because if a deaf person can play better than a person who can hear through the tiniest vibrations, then why can't someone like me learn to play just as well? People are often held back by their belief that a handicap cannot be overcome. Why can't someone in a wheel chair dance, or someone who's deaf play an instrument? You're only as handicapped as you let yourself be. I'm so fortunate not to have a disability to overcome, and yet I don't try nearly as hard as I should to achieve my goals.

This woman, Evelyn Glennie, was able to mimic the exact sounds and vibrations in order to create a specific experience for the audience. She knew what she wanted to play, and how to get it across to them using tempo, beats, and compositions, however as she said "each person experiences music in their own way." By this she means that no matter who you are you're going to feel music in you a certain way and "hear" it differently than others. She feels the vibrations of the notes in her hands, her fingers, her legs, her stomach, and her arms. I hear it and feel it emotionally. Some may just hear the music, having it go in one ear and out the other. It's all different and unique to every person.