I recently came across a fine introduction to the music of Pauline Oliveros.

I interviewed her during the Unyazi music festival in Johannesburg, 2005, and asked what it was that led her to her approach. “The Vietnam war was a catalyst,” she replied. Assassinations, draft resistance and a student immolating himself on the campus where she had just begun working led her to question the value of her activities as a composer. She began an inward process of listening to (single) tones which led her to begin writing her Sonic Meditations – pieces that “helped create openings for people to think creatively.”

Thinking over responses to the refugee crisis during the last weeks I’m struck by what seems to be a discrepancy between positive will on the part of many individuals and reluctance on the part of politicians. Encouraging to see personal follow-up on media coverage.

Revisiting the fourth of the Cage/Feldman Radio Happenings and their discussion of the, at the time, pressing issue of the Vietnam war: Cage offers that he would like to see a composing action rather than a critical one, i.e. applying oneself to a solution.

On Aeon a poetic response to the stories of refugee children.