Gillian Maitland Summer Percussion Seminar, National Youth Orchestra of Scotland and Edinburgh Youth Orchestra, as well as winning many music competitions and awards for her exceptional abilities on the marimba. Throughout Maitland's education, she has racked up some single and long term lessons with some of the worlds most renowned percussionists. These include Dame Evelyn Glennie, Ney Rosauro, Kai Stensgaard, Joseph Gramley, Janis Potter, Nick Petrella as well as members of the percussion section of the New York Philharmonic. In 2005, after performing marimba to the G8 Wives at Glamis Castle and winning the award of Angus Youth Ambassador, Maitland won an
Miss & Mister Deaf World contest, a winner is disallowed to participate in another beauty contest. In July 9, 2010 there was a MDW contest in Tbilisi, Georgia, and Miss Julie Abbou from France contested. She won three titles of the first Vicemiss Deaf World 2010, the second Vicemiss Deaf World 2010 and of the Miss Sympathy Deaf World 2010. Afterwards, Abbou contested Miss Deaf International in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 31, 2010, and was crowned as Miss Deaf International. As a result, Uhlir published an announcement at MDW website about disqualifying Abbou from the titles of 1st Vicemiss Deaf World 2010 and of