Fresh from a week together, 2010 Deep Listening Retreat participants present new and in-process pieces reflecting insights and experiences with teachers Pauline Oliveros, Ione, and Heloise Gold. According to Pauline Oliveros, "Deep Listening® is a philosophy and practice developed by Pauline Oliveros that distinguishes the difference between the involuntary nature of hearing and the voluntary selective nature of listening. The result of the practice cultivates appreciation of sounds on a heightened level, expanding the potential for connection and interaction with one's environment, technology and performance with others in music and related arts. The practice of Deep Listening provides a framework for artistic collaboration and musical improvisation and gives composers, performers, artists of other disciplines, and audiences new tools to explore and interact with environmental and instrumental sounds."

The music, text, movement and media works presented demonstrate a range of approaches by long-time practitioners of Deep Listening® as well as contributions by newer members of this community. This Deep Listening Retreat runs 2-6 August at the IONSRetreatCenter in Petaluma, CA. During that time, Oliveros led participants in mindful engagement with a wide range of sounds, with particular emphasis on the soundscape of the natural world. This listening work expands to include body awareness via Tai Chi and Qi Gong guided by Heloise Gold, and rich dreamwork guided by Ione. Retreatants come from around the world, bringing their unique energies and creativity to the intimacy of the retreat community. Along with teachers Oliveros, Ione, and Gold, they find pathways to deeper creative work and joie de vivre. To paraphrase Deep Listener and virtuosic trombonist Stuart Dempster, "we return the play to playing music."

As of the end of June 2010, the performers will include Deep Listening Certificate Holders Viv Corringham and Tom Bickley, as well as Jay Kreimer and Jennifer Wilsey, who are nearing completion of their studies for the DLI Certificate. Corringham is noted for her work with voice, electronics and environmental sound recordings. Bickley plays recorder and sings often combining digital processing with medieval compositional structures. Jay Kreimer is a builder of remarkable instruments and an accomplished improviser. Jennifer Wilsey is known for her musicianly percussion playing and work with ensembles such as Timeless Pulse. Also performing are Nancy Beckman who plays shakuhachi (trad. Japanese bamboo flute) and composes ritual performance pieces; Mara Helmuth who works with multimedia performances using advanced computer music techniques; David Felton who is on the board of the Deep Listening Institute and percussionist/electronics musician Ben Kreimer.