Improvising Across Abilities, Pauline Oliveros and the Adaptive Use Musical Instrument

Year

2024

Publisher

University of Michigan Press

Description

In one of her last interviews, composer, musician, humanitarian, and electronic music innovator Pauline Oliveros (1932–2016) discussed a lesser-known project, a computer and iPad application called Adaptive Use Musical Instruments, or more commonly, Instrument (henceforth “AUMI”).¹ AUMI’s purpose is to support music makers of all abilities.

It does so by making sound when the player moves, however the player moves, thus supporting what Pauline liked to call “improvising across abilities.” Pauline’s interviewer that day was Ted Krueger (henceforth “Ted”), architecture professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). Ted introduced his colleague as “an innovator over a lifetime of practice” with...