The Sound of Music (Evelyn Glennie + Bismillah Khan) — Practice

Question 1

What was Ron Forbes' transformative advice to Evelyn Glennie?

Accepted Answer

✦ Answer: 'Don't listen with your ears. Try to sense it some other way.' He asked her to place her hands on the wall to feel the vibrations of a drum — this was the breakthrough moment of her life.

Question 2

When did Bismillah Khan receive the Bharat Ratna and what was unique about it?

Accepted Answer

✦ Answer: In 2001 — and he was the FIRST instrumentalist (and first shehnai player) to receive India's highest civilian honour. Earlier music Bharat Ratnas had gone only to vocalists like M.S. Subbulakshmi.

Question 3

How did Evelyn Glennie 'hear' music despite being profoundly deaf?

Accepted Answer

Step 1 — The basic insight from Ron Forbes.
  Her school music teacher Ron Forbes told her: 'Don't listen with your ears. Try to sense it some other way.' He had her feel drum vibrations through a wall.

Step 2 — Sensing through the body.
  Evelyn began to 'hear' through her body — sensing vibrations through her hands, feet, and entire body. She said she felt music in her cheekbones, hair, even teeth.

Step 3 — Bare feet on stage.
  She always performs barefoot on stage so she can feel vibrations through the wooden stage. This is her primary 'listening' tool during performances.

Step 4 — Hands on instruments.
  When playing percussion instruments — drums, marimbas, xylophones — she feels the vibrations directly through her hands. Percussion's strong vibrations make it ideal for her.

Step 5 — Her philosophy.
  'Music is my life. It is to do with sound, not hearing.' For her, music is a full-body experience, not just an ear-experience.

✦ Answer: Evelyn Glennie senses music through vibrations. After Ron Forbes' transformative advice, she learnt to feel vibrations through her hands, her feet (she always performs barefoot), and her entire body — including cheekbones, hair, even teeth. For her, music is 'about sound, not hearing' — a full-body experience that her percussion instruments deliver through powerful, direct vibrations.

Question 4

Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to settle in the USA, despite great offers from his fans there?

Accepted Answer

Step 1 — The offers from the USA.
  Bismillah Khan had performed at the Lincoln Center, New York and other major venues in the USA. His American fans pleaded with him to settle there, even offering to 'recreate Varanasi' — temples, ghats, the lot.

Step 2 — His famous answer.
  Khan replied with disarming simplicity: 'But where will I find the Ganga there?'

Step 3 — His deep love for Varanasi.
  Varanasi was more than a city to him — it was his spiritual and musical home. The Ganga, the Vishwanath Temple, the ghats, the early-morning practice sessions by the river — all these had shaped his music.

Step 4 — Cultural rootedness.
  Khan believed his music drew its life from the spiritual atmosphere of Varanasi. Without the Ganga, without the temple, without the air of Banaras — his shehnai would not be the same.

Step 5 — A lesson for India.
  His answer is a model of cultural pride and rootedness — refusing to chase money or fame at the cost of one's roots and identity.

✦ Answer: Bismillah Khan refused to settle in the USA despite his American fans offering to 'recreate Varanasi' for him. He replied: 'But where will I find the Ganga there?' For him, Varanasi was more than a city — it was the spiritual and musical home that nourished his shehnai. This famous answer reflects his deep love for India, the Ganga, and his cultural roots — a powerful lesson in identity and belonging.

Question 5

Compare and contrast the lives of Evelyn Glennie and Bismillah Khan. What common lessons do they offer young readers?

Accepted Answer

Step 1 — Setting up the comparison.
  Evelyn Glennie (Scotland, 1965-) and Bismillah Khan (India, 1916-2006) lived in vastly different worlds — different countries, different centuries, different instruments. Yet their stories share deep parallels.

Step 2 — Differences.
  • Geography: Aberdeen, Scotland vs Dumraon (Bihar) / Varanasi
  • Time: 1965+ vs 1916-2006
  • Instrument: Percussion vs Shehnai
  • Specific obstacle: Profound deafness vs humble origins + elevating shehnai
  • Cultural context: Western classical/world music vs Hindustani classical

Step 3 — Common ground.
  • Both faced enormous obstacles in their chosen field
  • Both had transformative mentors (Ron Forbes for Evelyn; Ali Bux 'Vilayatu' Khan for Bismillah)
  • Both became firsts in their field (Evelyn = world's first solo percussionist; Bismillah = first instrumentalist Bharat Ratna)
  • Both expressed a near-religious devotion to their craft
  • Both achieved international recognition

Step 4 — Their philosophies.
  Evelyn: 'Music is my life. It is to do with sound, not hearing.'
  Bismillah: 'Even if the world ends, the music will still survive.'
  Both saw music not as a profession but as a calling — a spiritual vocation.

Step 5 — Common lessons for young readers.
  • Disability/disadvantage is no barrier — only excuse
  • A good mentor can change everything (Ron Forbes, Ali Bux)
  • Hard work is non-negotiable — both practised relentlessly
  • Love your craft as a calling, not a career
  • Stay rooted — Bismillah's love for Varanasi shows the value of identity
  • Be a 'first' — pioneer in something rather than follow

Step 6 — Universal language of music.
  Both lives prove that music is a UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE — Evelyn's deafness did not stop her, Bismillah's humble origins did not stop him. Music transcends nationality, religion, ability, and circumstance.

Step 7 — Application to today.
  In an age of distraction and shortcuts, both lives are reminders that mastery requires lifelong devotion. Class 9 students can apply these lessons to ANY pursuit — sports, science, business, art.

Step 8 — Conclusion.
  Evelyn Glennie and Bismillah Khan are not just two musicians — they are TWO MODELS OF HUMAN GREATNESS. Their lives are arguments for what is possible when passion, perseverance, and a great mentor come together.

✦ Answer: Despite vast differences — Scotland vs India, percussion vs shehnai, deafness vs humble origins — Evelyn Glennie and Bismillah Khan share remarkable parallels. Both overcame enormous obstacles, both had transformative mentors, and both became firsts in their fields. Common lessons: (1) disadvantage is not destiny, (2) mentors matter, (3) practice is non-negotiable, (4) treat your craft as a calling, (5) stay rooted in your culture. Both prove that music — like all great art — is a universal language that transcends barriers. Their lives are models of human greatness that apply far beyond music.

Practice — The Sound of Music (Evelyn Glennie + Bismillah Khan)

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