“If you work hard and know where you’re going, you’ll get there,” says Evelyn Glennie. You have now read about two musicians, Evelyn Glennie and Ustad Bismillah Khan. Do you think that they both worked hard? Where did they want to ‘go’ ? Answer these questions in two paragraphs, one on each of the two musicians.

1. Evelyn Glennie:

Evelyn Glennie was a determined as well as strong willed girl who worked hard to reach the peaks of success. Although she became deaf at a very early stage, and her teachers discouraged her yet she did not lose hope and with the help of Ron Forbes, the percussionist, she was able to experience the sounds of music through the different parts of her body and which eventually was the turning point in her life. The journey of climbing the ladder began as she got involved in orchestral work followed by solo performances. These not only helped her gain experience as a percussionist, it also brought her laurels at every stage. Setting an example worldwide, she continues to be a great epitome of inspiration across the globe.

2. Ustad Bismillah Khan:

Ustad Bismillah Khan, a hardworking individual with an unwavering desire of playing shehnai was introduced to this genre of music in his early days of childhood by his uncle, Ali Bux. As he began practicing, he used to sit captivated for hours on end. Gradually, the temple of Balaji and Mangala Maiya became his favourite haunts where he could practice in solitude. The flowing water of the Ganga inspired him to improvise and invent ‘raagas’ that were earlier considered to be beyond the range of the shehnai. In this way, Bismillah Khan’s love for shehnai went on flourishing and in turn helping him in climbing the ladder of success which brought him many national awards. Khansaab is not only known for his immense contribution to classical music in India but he has also earned significant amount of recognition abroad.