Deaf musician to learn sign language 30 years later

PERCUSSIONIST Dame Evelyn Glennie has announced she is learning sign language – 30 years after she was diagnosed as being profoundly deaf.

The Methlick-born musician, who credits Ellon Academy as a key influence in shaping her career, had previously refused to learn the language on the basis it sets deaf people apart from others.

Her decision has been praised by members of organisations for the deaf who believed her reluctance was a sign she had “shunned” their community.

The musician studied at the Royal Academy of Music before launching her career as the world’s first solo percussionist around 20 years ago. She performs around 100 concerts every year across the world and has been known to play as many as 60 instruments in a single performance.

Dame Evelyn, 42, lip-reads perfectly and until now has shown no interest in learning sign language, which is used by 70,000 people in Britain.

However, she revealed she has started trying it out with staff in her office.

“I’ve only now thought about what sign language really means, what it is, and what I feel it can bring to my particular situation.

“Like any language, it takes time and consistency and that’s our challenge at the moment because we don’t have consistent time.”

Nicola Noon, of the Scottish Council on Deafness, said the move would be welcomed.

She added: “She’s not popular in the deaf community because she failed to learn sign language. People felt she had shunned the deaf community but she will be congratulated for this.”