John Cage

John Cage was an American composer. Cage was a pioneer in the music scene and one of the leading figures in post-war avant-grade. He was one of the leading members in the Fluxus group. He was influenced by both of his teachers Henry Cowell and Arnold Schoenberg, but his primary influence was in the Eastern cultures. He studied Indian philosophy and Zen Buddhism. He worked with chance music, electronic music, and the non-standard use of musical instruments. He was a key person in the development of modern dance. He was best known for his 4'33?, the three movements of which are performed without a single note being played. A performance of 4'33? can be perceived as including the sounds of the environment that the listeners hear while it is performed, rather than merely as four minutes and thirty three seconds of silence.