A Year of Deep Listening is a publication of 365 scores for listening gathered by the Center for Deep Listening in celebration of the legacy of groundbreaking composer Pauline Oliveros. This Center is located at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York.

Deep Listening is, in Oliveros’ words, “a way of listening in every possible way to everything possible, to hear no matter what you are doing.”

Originally begun online, in honor of what would have been Oliveros’ 90th birthday (May 30, 2022), the project shared one score per day across social media for 365 days. The book version of A Year of Deep Listening brings these scores together into one beautiful and historic volume. An expression of the Deep Listening community, the scores were created by over 300 artists—ranging from prize winning composers to ear-minded grocery store clerks, from those who worked closely with Oliveros for decades to those who never met her.

Just one example:

Sound Exercise III: Imaginary Ears

Listen to the sounds around you.

Start with those very close to you and then try to listen to sounds from further and further away.

Continue doing this until you reach the furthest sound that you can hear.

Then imagine the sounds beyond your hearing limit and listen to them with your imaginary ears.

(Motohide Taguchi)

About the editor

Stephanie Loveless is a sound and media artist. She is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Arts and Director of the Center for Deep Listening at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in upstate New York.

Paperback, published in 2025, 480 pages, 21 black and white illustrations.