Dame Evelyn Glennie is the first person to attain an international career as a solo percussionist. Considered a pioneer of the solo percussion genre, she has paved the path for the many musicians after her. With her international career stronger than ever, Glennie performs more than 100 concerts per year with the world's finest orchestras.

"Evelyn Glennie is simply a phenomenon of a performer." - New York Times

A champion of new compositions, such as Christos Hatzis's Tongues of Fire for Percussion and Orchestra premiering at this concert, Glennie has commissioned over 150 new works for solo percussion from some of the world's most distinguished composers. She began commissioning new music while still a student at the Academy of Music in London, asking composers from the British music yearbook to write small pieces for her. A composer herself, she enjoys creating and recording music for film and television.

Although Glennie is profoundly deaf, she encourages her audience to learn the difference between hearing and listening. She believes the experience of music is like a conversation, meaning there should be a one-on-one relationship between performer and listener. Ms. Glennie's music challenges listeners to ask where music comes from and how it is we interpret it. Her expertise with such a wide range of instruments combined with a deep appreciation for visual performance creates a truly unique concert experience. Forbes Magazine stated "Watching [Glennie] is like watching a high-wire act over the Grand Canyon." Dame Evelyn Glennie's performances are always inspiring, challenging, thought-provoking thrill rides – buckle up for an extraordinary orchestral experience! -- www.vancouversymphony.ca