The sound of Music Part I

 The sound of Music

Part I

 Character  Sketch - Evelyn Glennie  

Evelyn Glennie is a renowned Scottish percussionist who gradually lost her hearing and eventually became completely deaf. Despite this challenge, she was a determined and passionate individual who decided to dedicate her life to music. Remarkably, she learned to "hear" music not through her ears but through vibrations felt in other parts of her body.

Evelyn is known for her dedication and hard work. She has mastered over 1,000 musical instruments and has even learned to speak French and Japanese. A true workaholic, she regularly performs free concerts in schools, prisons, and hospitals. Her journey and achievements have made her a powerful source of inspiration, especially for deaf children around the world.

 Additional Questions (unsolved)

1.    How did Evelyn’s mother notice that something was wrong with her hearing?

2.    What do you mean by “Evelyn won’t accept any hint of heroic achievement?”

3.    Why did most teachers discourage her when she declared that she wanted to become a musician?

4.    “God may have taken her hearing but he has given her back something extraordinary.” What is the extraordinary thing the God has given her?

     Long Answer Question (about 200-250 words)

5.    Evelyn Glennie became the world’s most sought-after percussionist. How did she achieve this glory? How does her life inspire the physically challenged persons?

 Extract Based Questions

6.    Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow.

Rush hour crowds jostle for position on the underground train platform. A slight girl, looking younger than her seventeen years, was nervous yet excited as she felt the vibrations of the approaching train. It was her first day at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London and daunting enough for any teenager fresh from a Scottish farm. But this aspiring musician faced a bigger challenge than most: she was profoundly deaf.

 

(a)  Why do the crowds jostle on the underground train platform?

(b)  Why was Evelyn excited?

(c)  What was the biggest challenge for the aspiring musician?

(d)  Explain  ‘a slight girl’.

 

 Solved Question from book

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

Q1. How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of Music?

Ans. Evelyn was hardly seventeen when she went to the Royal Academy of Music.

Q2. When was her deafness first noticed? When was it confirmed?

Ans. Her deafness was noticed by her mother when she was eight years old. It was confirmed by a specialist when she was eleven.

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

1.     Q1 Who helped her to continue with music? What did he do and say?

Ans. Her teacher Ron Forbes helped her to continue with music. He would set two drums with different notes and would ask her not to listen the sound through her ears but try to sense it some other way.

2.        Q2. Name the various places and causes for which Evelyn performs.

Ans.  She plays music at the concerts. She also gives her performances at the concerts organised in prisons and hospitals.

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

1. How does Evelyn hear music?

Evelyn was a well determined to pursue her interest in music. She did not give up her hope to lead a normal life. Although she could not hear anything through her ears but she started sensing different sounds through her different parts of the body. She could feel the vibration through her finger tips, her toes, her skins, cheekbones and even through her hair. She used different ways to feel the sound such as leaning against the drums or removing her shoes on wooden platforms.