Improvising Across Abilities: Pauline Oliveros and the Adaptive Use Musical Instrument(Music and Social Justice)

Improvising Across Abilities: Pauline Oliveros and the Adaptive Use Musical Instrument (AUMI) brings together scholars, musicians, and family members, with and without disabilities, to collectively recount years of personal experiences, research, and perspectives on the societal and community impact of inclusive musical improvisation. One of the lesser-known projects of composer, improviser, and humanitarian, Pauline Oliveros (1932–2016), the AUMI was designed as a liberating and affordable alternative to the constraints of instruments created only for normative bodies, thus opening a doorway for people of all ages, genders, abilities, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds to access artistic practice with others. More than a book about AUMI, this book is an invitation to readers to use AUMI in their own communities. This book, which contains wisdom from many who have been affected by their work with the instrument and the people who use it, is a representation of how music and extemporized performance have touched the lives and minds of scholars and families alike. Not only has AUMI provided the opportunity to grow in listening to others who may speak differently (or not at all), but it has been used as an avenue for a diverse set of people to build friendships with others whom they may have never otherwise even glanced at in the street. By providing a space for every person who comes across AUMI to perform, listen, improvise, and collaborate, the continuing development of this instrument contributes to a world in which every person is heard, welcomed, and celebrated.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Section I: Dreaming of AUMI Chapter 1 Going Deep: AUMI Since Before the Beginning Leaf Miller Illustrations by Ty Dykema Chapter 2 From Punk Philosophy to Musical Accessibility Zane Van Dusen Chapter 3 My Transformation into a Masterpiece Musical Instrument and Musician Clara Tomaz Chapter 4 The Gift of Expression: Playing AUMI with My Son Julie Brocklehurst Chapter 5 AUMI as a Model for Social Justice George Lipsitz Chapter 6 The Dream of AUMI IONE Section II: Software for All People: Improvising AUMI’s Development Chapter 7 AUMI in the Context of Adaptive Music Alex Lubet Chapter 8 AUMI Among the ADMIs: The Adaptive Digital Context Grace Shih-en Leu Chapter 9 AUMI Development and Developers: The DLI Years (2007-2012) Sherrie Tucker Chapter 10 AUMI Technology Development at McGill (2012-2019) John Sullivan, Ivan Franco, Ian Hattwick, Thomas Ciufo, Eric Lewis Chapter 11 How Adaptive, How Useful? Technological Design Solutions in AUMI for iOS Henry Lowengard Chapter 12 Pauline’s World of Virtuosos: Expanded Instruments, Deep Listening, and Stretched Boundaries Jonas Braasch Section III, Part 1:AUMI Communities Chapter 13 Exploring AUMI’s Potential in the Thunder Bay Community An Interview between Nicola Oddy and Lise Vaugeois Chapter 14 Building and Sustaining Ethical Communities Together An Interview with Rebecca Caines by Ellen Waterman Chapter 15 There’s No Place Like AUMI: Building a Community Partnership in Lawrence, Kansas Jim Barnes, Kip Haaheim, Ray Mizumura-Pence, Sherrie Tucker, and Ranita Wilks Chapter 16 Love, Actually: Using AUMI to Transgress Ableist Directing Habits Nicole Hodges Persley Chapter 17 Wooden Snapdragon Julie Unruh Chapter 18 Improvising Inclusive Communities: Shared Reflections on the Jesse Stewart Residency in Lawrence, Kansas Abbey Dvorak, Kip Haaheim, Ray Mizumura-Pence, and Sherrie Tucker Chapter 19 Sending and Receiving: AUMI Bodies and Dance Improvisation Michelle Heffner Hayes and Sherrie Tucker Chapter 20 Communities of Generosity and Gratitude: AUMI-KU InterArts’ First Decade Ray Mizumura-Pence Section III, Part 2:AUMI Performance Chapter 21 WAAM + AUMI: The We Are All Musicians Project and the Adaptive Use Musical Instrument Jesse Stewart Chapter 22 “To Me, Dance is a Home”: An Interview with Jessie Huggett Jessie Huggett Interviewed by Jack Hui Litster Chapter 23 “I Am Here”: AUMI Sings and Choral Participation Ellen Waterman, Laurel Forshaw, Gillian Siddall, Henry Lowengard, Gale Franklin, Teresa Connors, and Karen Berglander Chapter 24 AUMI, Theremin, and Sonic Witnessing Li Harris Chapter 25 AUMI in Practice: The Mills AIE Matt Robidoux Chapter 26 Knowing as Feeling: Five Meditations on the Planets Kip Haaheim Section IV, Part 1: AUMI Classrooms Jennifer Hurst and Grace Shih-en Leu Chapter 27 Working with AUMI in Classroom Settings in a Center School for Students with Severe Cognitive and Physical Challenges Deborah A. Nelson and Nancy Patterson Chapter 28 AUMI and ‘Improvise Approach’ Backing Tracks Carrie Lennard Chapter 29 AUMI and the Ethics of Technology: A Personal Encounter Eric Lewis Section IV, Part 2: AUMI and Music Therapy: Supporting Independent Musicking Abbey Dvorak and Nicola Oddy Chapter 30 Clinical Applications Using AUMI in Music Therapy Practice Abbey L. Dvorak, James Maxson, and David Knott Chapter 31 Use of AUMI in Clinical Music Therapy for Hospitalized Patients with Complex Neurological Disabilities Sergio Hazard Chapter 32 AUMI and Musical Empowerment in a Pediatric Environment John Mulcahy Section V: Dreaming AUMI Futures Chapter 33 Dream Music Julie Unruh Chapter 34 Dreaming AUMI’S Future IONE References Editorial Team and Chapter Contributors

About the Author :
The AUMI Editorial Collective includes Thomas Ciufo, Abbey Dvorak, Kip Haaheim, Jennifer Hurst, IONE, Grace Shih-en Leu, Leaf Miller, Ray Mizumura-Pence, Nicola Oddy, Jesse Stewart, John Sullivan, Sherrie Tucker, Ellen Waterman, and Ranita Wilks.

Review :
"Improvising Across Abilities is perhaps the only manuscript of its kind: one that explores the applications of one adaptive music technology, AUMI, in extraordinary depth through multivalent perspectives and scenarios via the words and metaphors of an extraordinarily varied collective of writers, students, teachers, social justice workers, technologists, community activists, group home directors, and creatives. While most scholarly essay collections feature chapters by academics from a narrow range of fields (if not a single one), this volume’s editorial team has consciously drawn writing from members of the public community who might not ordinarily contribute to such a collection, as well as from artists, scientists, and professors who write as part of their profession. The variation in writers and voices not only adds to the value of the book, but reinforces its argument that everyone, no matter what shape, size, or ability, should have a voice." “The awe-inspiring creator and thinker Pauline Oliveros is recognized for her pioneering electronic compositions, the astonishing diversity of her musical creations, her multifaceted poetic and expository writing, and her dedicated teaching of Deep Listening over many years. Some of her best-known work, the Sonic Meditations and Deep Listening Pieces, offers brief verbal instructions to allow groups to create musical experiences together, regardless of the musical training or experience of the people involved. An extension of this inclusiveness came in her later years with the Adaptive Use Musical Instrument (AUMI), now a freely downloadable app that allows users, including people with limited physical mobility, to participate in music making in new and provocative ways. This well-conceived book makes available a stunning wealth of information about AUMI by writers from many different backgrounds.”