These artists are busting the myth that deaf people live in a world of silence. They’re very good at listening | abc.net.au
There is a common misconception that deaf people live in a world of silence.
But many people who are deaf retain some hearing. Some, such as Australia’s former Prime Minister John Howard, make successful careers in a world full of noise.
This also includes the music industry.
Increasingly, the music world is recognising that deafness doesn’t stop people from loving music as much as the hearing community. In fact, there are many deaf musicians.
One of the highest profile artists today is Dame Evelyn Glennie, a Scottish percussionist and composer. She has collaborated with many musicians including Icelandic singer Björk and former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett.
During the 2012 London Olympics, Glennie led 1,000 drummers to perform in the Opening Ceremony.
She’s performed as a soloist with the best orchestras in the world, and released more than 60 albums ranging from concertos for percussion to improvisations with folk and pop bands.
In her latest project, Glennie is exploring the sound world of people who are deaf alongside poet Raymond Antrobus.
While Antrobus, who is also deaf, read his poems aloud, Glennie improvised on pre-selected percussion instruments.
“The whole thing really was pretty much one take recorded live right in the moment,” Antrobus tells Radio National’s The Music Show.
