Moravian College to celebrate Glennie’s contribution to the arts with honorary degree

Bethlehem, Pa., February 11, 2015- World renowned solo percussionist and motivational speaker Dame Evelyn Glennie will be present a lecture and demonstration at Moravian College on Monday, February 16, in Foy Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m.

At the conclusion of her performance, Moravian College will honor Glennie for her contributions to the world of music and for being a champion of music education. Sean O’Boyle AM, artist-in-residence at Moravian College will present Glennie to President Bryon L. Grigsby ’90 who will confer the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.

Glennie will grace the stage at Moravian College performing on several percussion instruments, including the marimba, djembe, and waterphone. For her spoken presentation, Glennie will draw upon her wealth of experience as an international performer and provide a succinct analysis of overcoming challenges in order to reach her self-styled career objectives.

Composer and conductor O’Boyle, recently named a Member of the Order of Australia, composed a concerto for Glennie who performed its world premiere with the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra (WA) in October 2014, under the direction of Maestra Sarah Ioannides. "Evelyn Glennie is a musician's musician, an inspiration to show us what can be achieved with dedication and hard work, and I'm excited to have her on campus as part of our long tradition to bring the best in their field to Moravian College,” O’Boyle said. “Evelyn is a passionate advocate for music education and is sort after all over the world for masterclasses, speeches and advice.“

Glennie is the first person in history to successfully create and sustain a full-time career as a solo percussionist, performing worldwide with the greatest conductors, orchestras, and artists. She fondly recalls having played the first percussion concerto in the history of The Proms at the Albert Hall in 1992, which paved the way for orchestras around the world to feature percussion concerti. She had the honor of a leading role in the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Glennie regularly provides masterclasses and consultations designed to guide the next generation. She is also a leading commissioner of new works for solo percussion, Evelyn has more than 170 pieces to her name from many of the world's most eminent composers. The film ‘Touch the Sound’ and her enlightening TED speech remain key testimonies to her approach to sound-creation.

Glennie continues to invest in realizing her vision—to teach the world to listen. “Life is full of challenges, but we can always find alternative ways of approaching our difficulties, which will often lead to new discoveries,” Glennie said. “My career and my life have been about listening in the deepest possible sense. Losing my hearing meant learning how to listen differently, to discover features of sound I hadn’t realized existed. Losing my hearing made me a better listener.” She looking to open a center that embodies her mission: “to improve communication and social cohesion by encouraging everyone to discover new ways of listening. We want to inspire, to create, to engage and to empower.” For a complete biography and photos visit: http://www.evelyn.co.uk/evelyn-glennie.html.

General admission is $15 with reduced price of $10 for senior citizens and students. Advance tickets are available at www.LVArtsBoxOffice.org. Foy Hall is located on Moravian College’s Hurd Campus in downtown Bethlehem. This event is sponsored, in part, by Pennsylvania Council of the Arts: Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts, and Moravian College’s Arts and Lectures Committee.

Pennsylvania. Moravian College encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. Anyone who anticipates needing any type accommodation or who has questions about the physical access provided should contact Bill Bauman of the Music Department at (610) 861-1650 or email at music@moravian.edu.

Moravian College is a private coeducational liberal arts college, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees, located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Tracing its founding to 1742, Moravian is recognized as America's sixth-oldest college and the first to educate women. The College emphasizes the deliberate integration of a broad-based liberal arts curriculum with hands-on learning experiences to prepare its 1,600 students, not just for jobs, but for successful careers. Moravian College excels at transforming good students into highly competent graduates who are ready to enter the workplace with confidence or shine in graduate school. Visit the Web site at www.moravian.edu.