Scottish born percussionist Evelyn Glennie has performed with virtually all of the world's greatest orchestras and conductors. She is the first successful full-time professional solo percussionist in classical music, and as such, is completely redefining the percussion world. She was awarded a Grammy in 1988 for her first CD, a recording of Bartok's "Sonata for two Pianos and Percussion," and again won in 2001 for Best Classical Crossover Album, for "Perpetual Motion" with Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer, Joshua Bell and John Williams.

In addition to appearing in over 100 performances per year, she is involved with countless charities, conducts master classes, and composes for film and television. As if all that wasn't enough, she is also currently studying for her Psychology and Law degrees! Following is Music in Schools Today's e-mail interview with Ms. Glennie.

MuST:
At what age did you first become interested in music, and how did it develop from there?

Evelyn:
I have always been curious about music, but I started lessons on piano from the age of 8. Timpani/percussion happened from the age of 12 at a comprehensive school north of Aberdeen. I took part in recorder groups, choirs, concert bands, jazz groups, played at old people's homes, played for musicals. I would seize any opportunity to play.

MuST:
Who have been your influences or mentors along the way?

Evelyn:
My school music teacher and my percussion teacher at school were both fantastic teachers. I have also been very influenced by Glenn Gould and Jacqueline Du Pre, not to mention many pop artists, such as Kate Bush, David Bowie, Annie Lennox, Bjork, and so on. Whoever is individual, creative and takes chances, I love.

MuST:
Percussion offers such a wide variety of instruments. Do you have any favorites, and why?

Evelyn:
They are all my favourites, as each instrument has a little story to tell. They are like a huge family. They also look interesting, and many of the instruments I admire as pieces of art, too.

MuST:
You've had over 100 pieces commissioned for you. How does that process of collaboration typically work, and over what period of time does it typically extend?

Evelyn:
It can vary from about one year up to about 10 years in some cases! It can take a while due to the funding aspect, the writing process, the programming and the learning process. I will meet with a composer to talk about the practicalities of a piece and to be sure it is transportable around the world. We also discuss musical ideas and the production of the piece. The composer will set to work and feed me with musical ideas along the way for my comments.

MuST:
You're involved in some very diverse projects, including performing classical pieces with bluegrass banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck. What is your philosophy on breaking stereotypes and categories that are often encountered in the music world?

Evelyn:
I have a very simple policy: if I admire something, then I will not hesitate to work with that. My life is free of categories, therefore my mind is completely open.

MuST:
Speaking of unique projects, what was it like performing with a large gamelan orchestra in Indonesia?

Evelyn:
Brilliant. Their music notation is so different to the western notation, so it was a challenge putting the piece together. However, the sheer force of an 80 piece Gamelan beside you is totally amazing, due to the resonance.

MuST:
Your music takes you literally all over the world. What are some of the upsides and downsides to all the travel, and are there any places that you especially look forward to playing?

Evelyn:
I would like to play in Greenland, Siberia, more of South America, Africa and more of Russia. I travel with a lot of equipment, which means that a considerable amount of time and energy is taken up just organizing the logistics of the equipment. People beaver away behind the scenes to make this aspect run as smoothly as possible, as it's a hugely important part of a solo percussionist's life. I am always the first to arrive and last to leave a concert hall, due to the time it takes to set up and dismantle the instruments.

MuST:
On your website, {read Evelyn's Disability Speech} I read of a nine-year old boy who was blind, deaf and brain damaged who you played for, with him on the floor under the marimbas, so he could feel the music. It was the first time his caretakers had ever seen him smile, have any muscle control, or respond to anything in any way. What was that experience like?

Evelyn:
Rather daunting and amazing and very emotional. It was also frustrating, because I was asking what, why, and how such a reaction from the boy occurred. I didn't know how to follow it up, but it certainly gave me faith that sound is a fantastic medicine should we open our bodies up and stop categorizing!

MuST:
Why do you make time in your schedule to teach master classes? Could you elaborate on the importance of music education, and why it should be offered in public schools?

Evelyn:
Any connection with any other individual through music is an investment to both them and myself. The domino effect is too great to put into words. The power of music is too great to put into a sentence or two. It brings people together in such ways that no book or system can teach. The interaction between any individual discovering something is so great, because I also discover something about myself. Music is an absolute necessity to any youngster, due to the cross fertilization aspects involved which are enormous, and this affects so many others than just the individual. Their families and friends are also affected in very positive ways, too.

MuST:
What advice would you have for young percussionists on persevering with their craft?

Evelyn:
Get on with it!! Keep an open mind, take every opportunity that comes your way to develop yourself both musically and otherwise, do not expect anything from anybody but create your own opportunities, enjoy the process of sharing what you do and the process of discovery. Always ask the question "What if...?"