About this Artist

Pauline Oliveros (1932-2016) was a composer, performer, humanitarian, and pioneer in American music. Through improvisation, electronic music, ritual, teaching, and meditation she created a body of work with such breadth of vision that it profoundly affects those who experience it and eludes many who try to write about it. "On some level, music, sound consciousness and religion are all one, and she would seem to be very close to that level," wrote John Rockwell. Whether performing at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., in an underground cavern, or in the studios of a West German radio station, Oliveros' commitment to interaction with the moment is unchanged. Through Deep Listening Pieces and earlier Sonic Meditations, Oliveros introduced the concept of incorporating all environmental sounds into musical performance. To make a pleasurable experience of this requires focused concentration, skilled musicianship and strong improvisational skills, which are the hallmarks of Oliveros' form. Throughout her career, Oliveros was vocal about representing the needs of individual artists, and about the need for diversity and experimentation in the arts.

(Excerpted from paulineoliveros.us, © Pauline Oliveros)