First pioneered by composer Pauline Oliveros after an inspiring trip to a cistern with a 40-second reverb near Seattle, Deep Listening is a practice with a number of community and education intersections motivated by the idea that making and experiencing music is everyone’s birthright. Through an array of activities including active listening walks, rhythmic machines, improvised text scores, and movement exercises, Deep Listening provides an astonishing array of tools for communal music-making. Strategies for guiding improvised compositions as well as designing musical experiences for participants of all backgrounds will be explored, as we experience how Deep Listening’s emphasis on mindfulness and play can transform people’s sense of agency and bring about new ways of relating to one’s environment.

Co-sponsored by the DePauw School of Music, 21st Century Musician Initiative, and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion.