2012 would have brought us the 100th birthday of the prominent American composer and music theorist John Cage. In commemoration of his centennial, worldwide musical events are due to take place, including one in our own Bushwick, Brooklyn. Norte Maar in collaboration with E.A.T. present Cage Transmitted: 12 Evenings of Performance. Once a month throughout the entire year, the front room at Norte Maar will host an evening of music, poetry, theater, happenings, visual art, and dance celebrating the work of Cage.

John Cage, the composer notorious for his 4’33” piece, in which the musician opens a piano and simply sits without playing for over 4 and a half minutes, is remembered as a leader of the musical avant-garde. Claiming to have “no feeling for harmony”, he worked to replace harmony with rhythm in his music and experimented with non-instruments. While working on music to accompany a dance by Syvilla Fort called Bacchanale, he created the famous “prepared piano” by placing objects between the strings of a piano, giving the instrument a unique sound. Cage also experimented with tape recorders, radios and other devices which would influence electronic music. He encouraged audiences to embrace all sounds, no matter how random, as music and become free from the personal taste of the composer or performer.

Get to know the influential power of John Cage’s work either by visiting Norte Maar’s apartment-gallery or experiencing it live streamed on the web.