Pauline Oliveros:
“What Is Deep Listening?
For me Deep Listening is a life long practice. The more I listen the more I learn to listen. Deep Listening involves going below the surface of what is heard, expanding to the whole field of sound while finding focus. This is the way to connect with the acoustic environment, all that inhabits it, and all that there is.
Deep Listening is a practice consisting of listening and sounding exercises and pieces I and others have composed since 1970. The results are processed by group discussions in workshops and retreats. Deep Listening is for musicians as well as participants from other disciplines and interests. Previous musical training is not required.
The key to multi-level existence is Deep Listening – listening in as many ways as possible to everything that can possibly be heard all of the time. Deep Listening is exploring the relationships among any and all sounds whether natural or technological, intended or unintended, real, remembered or imaginary. Thought is included. Deep Listening includes all sounds expanding the boundaries of perception.
We open in order to listen to the world as a field of possibilities and we listen with narrowed attention for specific things of vital interest to us in the world. Through accessing many forms of listening we grow and change whether we listen to the sounds of our daily lives, the environment or music. Deep Listening takes us below the surface of our consciousness and helps to change or dissolve limiting boundaries.
Deep Listening is a birthright for all humans.”
Taken from the Center for Deep Listening.
In 2023, I led ten monthly Deep Listening events: 1/18, 2/15, 3/15, 4/19, 5/17, 7/16, 9/20, 10/18, 11/15, and 12/20 at the Timucua Arts Foundation. Deep Listening is a composer’s sound practice devised by the legendary composer and thought leader, Pauline Oliveros (1932-2016). It is open to everyone and devised to serve and expand our well-being, especially for those drawn to music and sound.
The above video demonstrates the beauty, depth, and mystery held by the combination of simple instructions and Deep Listeners called “LISTENING OUT LOUD.” The instructions are”Inhale Deeply. Exhale singing a note of your choice. Listen to the sounds around you and match your next note to one of them. On your next breath, make a note no one else is making. Repeat.
Deep Listening music has an analogy to swarming, common in nature where individuals follow simple rules and the group exhibits complex, coordinated behavior. There is no central command or authority. If birds leaves the group, the swarm still happens. Imagine you’re one of those birds, following the simple instructions of a Sonic Meditation – noone knows where it might go….!
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