COMING UP!
Wednesday, October 7
Preston theater at Bard College, 6pm
sight/seeing: An experimental documentary
Join us for this not-to-be missed evening—sure to sell out—with Steve Reich himself in attendance, and featuring some of his very favorite musicians and works.
The evening begins with a lavish vegetarian birthday gala dinner with Steve, followed by a very special concert, all at Roulette Intermedium in Brooklyn.
Here's the amazing lineup so far:
pianist Stephen Drury performing John Cage's "In a Landscape"
vocalists Meredith Monk with Katie Geissinger and Allison Sniffin performing Monk's "Memory Song"
percussionists Garry Kvistad and Russell Hartenberger (of the original Steve Reich Ensemble) performing Reich's "Clapping Music"
electric guitarist Mark Stewart performing Reich's "Electric Counterpoint"
plus special surprise guest performers and more!
By attending this historic night, you also raise necessary support for the John Cage Trust, a nonprofit organization that not only preserves and promotes the work of Cage (1912–1992), but fosters the ongoing legacy of his generative influence and spirit thorugh a variety of programs, and by maintaining the Cage Trust archives. Located on the campus of Bard College, we welcome visitors—musicians, scholars, educators, artists, and all interested—throughout the year to programs and tours, as well as collaborate with partners worldwide on exhibitions and performances. At the John Cage Trust, we're interested not so much in what John Cage has done, but in what his legacy is still doing today. Your support helps make this possible!
Please make a donation in support of the John Cage Trust if you are unable to attend.
Thursday, october 29
john cage’s scottish circus
performed by the whistlebinkies
chance encounters with John Cage: Kyle gann on Morton Feldman
Free, online on Zoom, noon-1pm ET.
This year marks the Morton Feldman Centennial. Composer, critic, author and musicologist Kyle Gann, who studied with Feldman, joins Jeffrey Lependorf, the John Cage Trust Executive Director, to chat about Feldman, his friendship with John Cage, and a bit about Feldman's late violin and piano work "For John Cage" (1982), to be performed by Darragh Morgan and Mary Dullea on October 31 at Bard College (a join presentaiton of the John Cage Trust and Bard Conservatory of Music).
Meeting at intermission after a New York Philharmonic performance of Webern's Op. 21, Cage and Feldman became fast and lifelong friends. Their musical concerns had much in common, and despite some rocky moments in their relationship, Feldman composed a gorgeous tribute to his friend Cage in 1982.
We'll discuss Feldman and Cage, their relationship, studying with Feldman, and "For John Cage." We'll even listen to a bit of the latter.
preston hall theater
4 ludlow drive, bard college
Join us for a film of The Whistlebinkies performing Cage’s Scottish Circus in Surround Sound, plus a conversation with Mode Records producer Brian Brandt.
Brian Brandt of Mode Records is not only the producer of the film, but the Director of a an esteemed recording label with a long association with Cage, as well a remarkable catalog of many other 20th century and living musical luminaries. We'll chat about how this film was made, working with Cage, and the current challenges to completing Mode Record's longterm project of recording all that Cage composed. Various Mode Records recordings will also be available for sale!
Scottish Circus is the first collaboration between John Cage and the famous Scottish traditional music group, The Whistlebinkies. The origins of the work begin in Edinburgh in 1984. Cage was fascinated by their instrumentation of Lowland pipes, clarsach, fiddle, wooden flute, concertina, drum and voice. This led on to the commissioning of Scottish Circus for the ensemble in 1990, a way of performing traditional Scottish music as individuals of an ensemble together.
We'll be showing a film made of a performance in 2007, the first to be recorded, showcasing Edinburgh’s historic Inverleith House as not only the recording venue, but with the acoustics of the house serving as a performer in its own right.
WEDNESDAY, October 21, 12pm
Saturday, October 31
Morton Feldman’s for john cage
For the Morton Feldman Centennial, the John Cage Trust and Bard Conservatory present a special concert by Darragh Morgan (violin) and Mary Dullea (piano) performing Feldman's For John Cage.
Morton Feldman (1926–1987) would be 100 this year. A great friend of John Cage's, the John Cage Trust, Bard Conservatory, and Culture Ireland present a rare opportunity to hear Feldman's rarely performed, exquisite work for violin and piano, For John Cage(1982).
Tickets: $20 (free with a Bard ID)
guided not so much by what Cage has done but, rather, by what Cage’s legacy is doing now.
Welcome to the john cage trust
Click above to read about what we do and who we are, access useful contacts regarding rights, find and purchase Cage music scores, and read a brief history of the John Cage Trust.
Click above to access a fully annotated database of music works by John Cage.
Click above for information about information on various royalty and reproduction rights for John Cage materials.
Contact us
for general queries, to arrange a visit to the John Cage Trust, or for information regarding rights & permissions, write to: info@johncage.org.