Help Musicians President Dame Evelyn Glennie joins Chris Difford on I Never Thought it Would Happen podcast
Dame Evelyn Glennie chats to Chris Difford on I Never Thought it Would Happen
Joining Chris in this episode is the world’s foremost solo percussionist, Dame Evelyn Glennie, who speaks of her idyllic childhood in the spacious rural countryside of Aberdeenshire followed by the move to noisy, crowded London to study at the Royal Academy Of Music. The duo also touch upon the difficulties of touring the world with a selection of her 2000+ percussion instruments, the glass harp and Evelyn’s admiration for Ed Sheeran.
The episode also features Fiona Sao Paing, an electronic musician and singer from Aberdeenshire who received creative support from Help Musicians to work collaboratively across music, visual art, film and theatre.
Dame Evelyn Glennie is the sixth guest on the podcast, with previous episodes featuring Sting, Robbie Williams and Ruby Turner, to name a few.
The series coincides with our 100th year as a charity and explores what makes someone want to pursue music as a career, and the ever-changing landscape in which they operate.
Help Musicians has been needed more than ever this past year, providing over £17m in support to 21,000 professional musicians during the pandemic, many of whom slipped through the gaps of government support.
By coming on these podcasts, and speaking honestly about their own challenges, the guests are lifting the curtain on what can be an incredibly difficult career. It comes at a time when live music is beginning to return, and while the charity adapts to support the musicians returning to work.
Through our Music Minds Matter service we also support those in the industry who, like Robbie, experience mental health challenges. The service has seen a huge surge in demand as the music world continues to live with the impact of the pandemic.
I Never Thought It Would Happen is available for free on all major platforms, including Spotify, Apple, Amazon and Castbox. Please subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts.
The series is hosted on Audioboom and produced by Gimme Sugar.