Ideas Worth Spreading

That was pretty sweet. I liked how she was talking about "exploring the tiny surface of the drum." And then when she started to play I was like whoa! But it really opened my eyes to the feeling as opposed to the stuff in my ear. And it helped me to better understand how a deaf person like Beethoven could compose such amazing music. There are no comments here. I shall check in the morning. :)

I cant roll my rrrrrrr's. Anyway the part that struck me like thunder is when she started to talk
about the rawness that the performer feels, because sometimes I think thats how I feel when I'm
performing. The next time I go to a concert I will try to listen to the sound before and after the
actual attack, or as she stated "expierience the whole journey of that sound."

I tried posting this on facebook, but it honestly wouldn't let me. So, I'll keep trying, but here it is. There are responses from facebook.
Ok, so she was an awe-inspiring percussionist, first of all. She had such control! If you watch really close you can see like, the flicks. Like, her muscles having complete control. I really liked her explanation of how music, color, picture, and vibration go together. When you see a picture of someone dropping a plate you think back to what that sounds like. As for vibration, I relate to that too. When I hit a marimba, there is a feeling that goes with that. Same for any percussion instrument (I cannot speak for winds). Now, I do agree with Nate (Um. Herby Handcock. DUH! APPLAUSE!!!!). She phrases things so very eloquently (sp?) it is hard to disagree, in all honesty. How do you disagree with the fact that an entire person plays an instrument? That you, as a person, use all of you at once to make and experience music? This makes me reconsider the role of the individual band member, and how you should 'listen', which should include all of your senses (maybe not smell ^_^).

David: I don't think that this is so much a comparison as it is about how people are vessels of music. She is explaining how musicians should really interpret sound.

Kevin: Most definitely! Rests are very important, if not equally important. At jazz camp they said when comping it is important to not just make noise. A large portion of what sets apart good accompanists and bad ones is the knowledge of when to play, and when to rest. I think that goes for music in general too!

Wow. I just spent 15 minutes typing my comment then BOOM it vanished! lovely!

I really enjoyed everything she was talking about. Because not only does she talk about music, she relates it to life. Its very true how many of us judge people by the first glance; their clothes and make-up etc, but we never really look deeper into that persons life to even begin to judge their character. Same with music, as we open a piece of music we look at the notes and just stick to what it is suppose to sound like, not what we feel inside us.
Ben: I get the same feeling when we play some intense pieces of music. It starts to feel like your apart of the story your playing and creating.
Lizzy: I totally agree when you said "How could you disagree with the fact that an entire person plays an instrument?" Its so true. Many of us not knowing it, use most of our body while playing music not just blowing air through an instrument. Some tap to the beat, others move their entire upper body to add to the tone of their instrument.

I thought that a very important point Evelyn brought up was when she first plays her snare piece and then again to demonstrate the difference between interpreting and translating. The difference between the two really separates an person from a musician. This difference is a huge chasm which music students must learn to cross through understanding how music works. I find it very interesting at her ability to learn this effectively with the use of all of her senses aside from hearing.
Evelyn first speaks about how she wants to teach the world to listen. This is especially important coming from her because I believe the she is not only trying to teach people to listen with their ears but also with the things that make us up like our hands, skull, chest, and bones. When she talked about this, I understand that only one other person can truly understand this feeling, but it reminded me of the Jewish High Holidays and although I’m not a spiritual person it is an awesome feeling when they blow the shofar are your very bones vibrate with the sounds and you can feel it deep into your sternum. I think that this is similar to her connection to the sounds, although not as sensitively as she does. I find it astounding that she is able to tune timpani through the vibrations she could feel on the wall.
I was amazed by the amount of intensity of her marimba playing. It was as if she was breathe life into the instrument to allow it to speak instead of making it speak, which really connects back to her idea about holding the stick as if it is a part of you and not just a tool that a person is utilizing to force sound of the instrument.
I think that Evelyn is really an extraordinary person, even from a young age. Losing one’s hearing at such a young again I would imagine being disheartening and the challenge insurmountable; however, she is a prime example of how a person can learn to adapt and use all the sense to listen.

Ben: Wow, I was so busy on focusing on some of the other things that she was saying that I think that I missed that one the first time. But I think that, like you said, the sound before and after an attack is very important, just as important as it 'starts and ends in silence".

Lizzy: In response to your response to David, I agree with your what you said about how we are vehicles to intrepret and convey our interpretation of music.

By the way I have similar problems with facebook, but I also attempted to comment on several people's post on facebook as well so we'll see if that worked out later! Night all!

Wow this video was pretty inspiring. It amazes me how despite being deaf, Evelyn has found her own way to relate to music and is still so passionate about it. To be honest, until this video I always assumed that being deaf eliminated one's ability to experience music, but Evelyn has proven this to be very false. I loved when she was talking about receiving a new piece of music, and how she said one never has the right to assume right off the bat that it is a "bad piece of music" just because they don't like it. She explained how not liking it might just mean that the chemistry between the musician and the piece aren't quite right, and more time is needed to develop said chemistry. I also really like how she said "The great thing about being a musician is that it's so absolutely fluid. There's no right, no wrong, no this way that way." That was incredibly powerful and incredibly true.

Kayleigh: I agree with you about how great it was that Evelyn related everything back to life in general aside from just music. This makes the video even that more powerful, because not only does she teach about music, but we can derive life leassons from the video as well.

Lizzy: I think that's really cool that you can relate to what she's saying since you play marimba and can feel it as well. And I agree with you on saying what a great percussionist Evelyn is.

The first piece she played (the second time) was amazing. I replayed it twice just to hear it again. :D It's amazing how she can play that well, even though she's deaf.

In the second piece she played, her hands were moving so fast the video file seems to be off from of the sound file. >.< Her playing this song has inspired me to work a lot harder on the marimba, so I can play even 1/10th as good as her. When she explained how you can "hear" the marimba through your fingers, I got up and started playing on the marimba to try it out. And it's true - I can in fact feel a difference in the vibrations of each note. ^_^

I think it's pretty awesome how 1 person, through perserverance, changed the entire UK "college" system. In her determination to get a good music education, Evelyn opened the door to many others who might be "handicapped" in some way.

Watching her play with 4 mallets, I'm going to try and adjust how I play to match how she plays - it's obviously worked for her, so maybe it'll work for me and help me play 4 mallets better. ;)

After watching Evelyn play, I'm inspired to work harder and become a better musician. Maybe I'll be able to play at least somewhat as good as she does. :P

Lynnea makes a great point. I think a lot of music is "bad", but everyone has different tastes in music and everyone hears things differently, like Evelyn doesn't hear things at all. It was super cool how she could play. I don't think I know anyone who can play that well, and no one I know is deaf!!!

I really think it was cool that after she lost her hearing, she kept playing and getting better. I can't imagine what it would be like to lose hearing that young and still want to be a musician.

I don't have a facebook so I can't comment on those comments but I will on some of these:
Brianna: I totally agree with what you said about how interpreting and translating music is so different. I think I will try to find the difference of that with my own music and try to translate better.
Ben: I love what she said about before and after the attack, because I never really realized it, but it makes sense how you have to build up to it and then finish it.

This really was a cool video and I'm glad I could watch it. It taught me a buncha cool stuff.

Whoa! She wasn't just talking about playing the music correctly, she explained how and why it would help. She inspired how i will listen to music from now on.

I have to agree with Emily, She has inspired me to listen to things a little more carefully and just not hear it but really listen. I was watching this with my step dad and he and I were both awed at how fantastic she can play even though she is deaf. I all ways wonder what it would be like to be deaf, would it completely suck or would it be strange to hear everything in a whole new way? My favorite part in this was when she told everyone to "create thunder", I was thinking that you could stomp your feet to make thunder. Peoples minds are not very "out there" these days

I really liked how she said to interpret the music yourself rather than do someone elses interpretation. Also how she said to use our bodies
to understand the music. I agree with Ben on how at the next concert I perform at, i'll listen to the music before and after the "attack." And
I may not be a percussionist, but there is alot that I have learned from this movie that I can use to work on in order to improve my skills.

What I found the most interesting was that there was a technique to listening to the music, feeling it, and being able to interpret it into your own mind. There's a whole other concept of listening to music and being able to incorporate such a new method into it.

I agree with Sammi on how it would be a whole other perspective of listening to music without the ability to hear it.

I agree with Ben B. on how you should "feel" the music before playing it, and putting it into your mind.

I disagree on how you should have total control over yourself and the instrument. If you do so, you may end up focusing too much on that and not enough on the feeling of the music.

What I found most interesting was how she felt the music through her body. The only thing I disagree with is how many times she said ect. ect. I agreed with everything but her extreme use of th eword ect.
I agree with Ben B. on feeling the music before you play.
I agree with Elise on enjoying how she explained exploring the surface of the drum.

What was interesting was that she said that you have to listen to yourself play before you do anything else. Also the way she played made
me feel like i have to feel the music more and with more of a reason in order to achieve great music playing. Everthing she said seemed to be
useful in some ways weather it was a reason to help me play or just about the music world in general. This was a great video to watch and
i will look to use the things she talked about.

That video was very interesting, it was cool how she feels music should be interpreted differently if you are blind, deaf, etc. I didn't think you could be a musician like that but she was deaf and an incredible musician. I also liked what she said about how in different places the music doesn't sounds exactly like it would in another place. One thing I partially disagree with was when she said you don't try to make others feel how you do in a piece of music. I believe you should try to show how you feel with a piece but also that each person will have their own emotions with how they hear it.
I agree with what Ben said about the sound being raw when I produce it, it feels very untamed I guess you could call it. Also I like the point Lynnea made about not thinking a piece of music is "bad," because I think that part of playing and hearing music is finding something about it that relates to you, whether or not you would usually listen to it or play it.
Overall I think Evelyn is very inspiring and it makes me want to try and experience music in a different way than just through my ears.

What made that video so interesting was how talented Evelyn was. She can probably play every
instrument she wants, but the amazing thing is, she's deaf. The part I find ridiculous is when she
talks about interpreting people with the example of a drum. That's a little strange. This does
change my method of listening because it makes you appreciate perspective of sound and the different
sounds around us.
I agree with Ben on the feel of music and how you should feel the experience of sound.
I also agree with Al on how Evelyn is a very talented and inspiring mucician.

I really like how she was talking about that you should interpet music for yourself instead of just doing someone else interpetation. it inspired me to change the was that i will play music

I thought about what she said about how really listining to music doesnt have to be just through your ears but thinking about it fealing it is really listining. this will change how i listen to music during band. I agree with trevor about listining to your self play before you do anything else.

I found the video kind of boring at first, but then when she started explaining how to interpret music for yourself, and not the having to think the ways others interpret the music. Her teaching new dynamics on the marimba was also cool. I really liked her explanation of sound, where the smallest sound can be something very big. I found her joke about the sound of snow and everyone clapped and she asked the audience if they have heard the sound of snow, their reply was no I thought that was kind of funny.This video has told me that music can be what you make it out to be and it is how you interpret each song you play or listen to. This video also has encouraged me to want to improve some of my dynamics, by not playing rolls to loud on the bass during Heart Songs.
1. I do agree with Zac Weston, that the video has inspired me the way i will play music.
2. I agree with Lee Harris on how this will change the way I will listen to music during band.
Over all it was a good video. I wil change my Facebook status .... Which said that the video was boring,

I really like the quote "Whatever the eye see's, the theres always sound happining.....". I really belive this is true because sometimes when i see something like a bird or a tree i can imangine what the sound is making even if it isnt making any sound. In fact, a lot of time I will look at a sheet of my percussion music and i can hear the whole band playing the song even though they are not.

I liked the video a lot. I realized that when you play music you have to feel it and understand what you're playing.
When you feel the music it makes it more appealing to listen to, and more fun to play.
I also thought it was interesting how she showed us how to feel the music when she hit the snare drum.
She showed us how changing our body language can effect how we play.
Watching this video has changed the way I think of listening or perceiving sound.
Next time I play I will try to use the techniques she showed us in the video.
I agree with Ben and Hannah when they say at the next concert they will listen more to the music and experiance it.
I also agree with Zack. This video has encourged me to want to try harder to improve my playing.

I liked the lady playing and interpreting the music to show how it makes a difference with a percussionists playing.
It makes me wonder if I can do that with my saxophone so i can play much better than i am because i would really be
feeling the music instead of only listening to the sound waves entering and leaving my ears but also feeling the bass
from Tubas or marimbas playing low and also feeling the music in my head so much that i get headaches from the beat
of the drum or shaking of whatever percussion instrument that shakes.
The lady also makes me think that the freshman percussionist should definately try at least listening with their ears.
Then try listening with their finger types when they play snare or hit a gong to see how they can modify their body language to make it
feel better in their body and sound better to everyone else.

I agree with Channing agreeing with Ben and Hannah because i will try that too if i can

Up untill I saw this video I was so concerned with tone quality, range, dynamics (etc. etc.) whenever I played the trumpet. But after hearing
Evelyn speak about listening I now see music as something much more than rythms and sounds. Music isn't about how good you are, rather
the emotions and personal interpretation that go along with the sound. Its like taking away the lyrics from any song. Sure, you can hear a
sweet guitar solo here, and a drum fill there, but really its just dull sound when we are expecting more. The same for playing music. WIthout
the raw emotoin that comes from the performer, music is really just sounds being repeated in a pattern. But it's when we combine the written
out rythms with the emotions we feel about that piece, suddenly it's no longer just sound, it's actual music.

Ben: I completely get where you are coming from with the rawness that the performer gets while playing.
Emily: I also have to agree that I this changes the way I will listen to music.

i enjoy how she shows that music doesnt need a talented musician to learn music but instead how music requires geeling and reason to reach your own interpritation of each piece.

It was amazing to see her talk and hear her play about music but the added fact that she is basically def and has accomplished so much has actually inspired me to look at music a whole different way. Whenever i listen to anything ever again I'm going to ask myself if whoever wrote this music really has a significant understanding of their own music.
There could never be an argument that Evelyn Glennie isn't connected with her music or whatever music she plays because she has to be! She spent all of her time learning how each possible sound felt so that when she felt that it is right the music is right.
Maybe we should all put in ear plugs and try to step into her shoes sometime.

I like how she talked about how we judge people right away, because even though I wish it wasn't true it is.
I also liked how she put life and music together while talking it made a lot of sense to me.

Not only is she a brilliant musician its the way she interprets the misic that is truely amazing.
I totally agree with what she said about how all life is conected to music and sound.
The fact that shes deaf seems to make no difference to her and I greatly respect her for all that shes done, its just wonderful.I also find it interesting was that she said that you listen to music through your whole body and not just your ears.
I didnt really disagree with anything. This did change how i percieved music because now i'll try to listen not only with my ears but with everything.

I liked how she said you have to play what is on the page and also what is not on the page. It is the things that when you're not with your instrument that become an import part in the way that you interpret the music.

I also thought it was amazing how she got all of the music schools in the U.K. to not turn down anyone because they were deaf or were missing their arms and legs. They had to listen to the application and listen to them play and then determine what happens because of their skill level.