Maria Chavez
Maria Chavez pioneered Abstract Turntablism, a self-described practice she developed under Pauline Oliveros' Deep Listening guidance. Born in Lima, Peru and raised in Houston, she cut her teeth as a DJ spinning techno and drum & bass. Still, the male chauvinism of that scene roused her to experiment further with the materiality of vinyl, using broken needles and non-musical sounds. Oliveros inspired her to ditch dance parties for improvisation with a single turntable, an artistic practice which has evolved to include installations, workshops, visual art, and curation. An authentic sound artist (she adamantly eschews the label “musician”)
Maria Chavez pioneered Abstract Turntablism, a self-described practice she developed under Pauline Oliveros' Deep Listening guidance. Born in Lima, Peru and raised in Houston, she cut her teeth as a DJ spinning techno and drum & bass. Still, the male chauvinism of that scene roused her to experiment further with the materiality of vinyl, using broken needles and non-musical sounds. Oliveros inspired her to ditch dance parties for improvisation with a single turntable, an artistic practice which has evolved to include installations, workshops, visual art, and curation. An authentic sound artist (she adamantly eschews the label “musician”)
