John Cage

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/john-cage

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was John Cage born?September 5, 1912
2. When did John Cage die?August 12, 1992 (age 79)
3. Where was John Cage born?Los Angeles, California, USA
4. What is the key philosophical influences?Zen Buddhism and Indian philosophy
5. Who was John Cage and what made his music special?John Cage was an American composer who showed that music can come from silence and everyday sounds, like the rustle of leaves or a distant traffic noise.
6. What is a prepared piano and why did John Cage use it?A prepared piano is a piano with objects such as screws, bolts, or erasers placed on its strings. Cage used it to create new, unusual sounds that a normal piano could not make.

Indeterminacy: Musical composition or performance where elements are not precisely determined by the composer, allowing for chance or performer choice.
Avant-garde: Innovative or experimental ideas, especially in the arts or culture, that are ahead of their time.
Electroacoustic Music: Music that combines electronically produced sounds with acoustically produced sounds, or uses electronic means to manipulate acoustic sounds.
Prepared Piano: A piano that has had its sound altered by placing objects on or between its strings or hammers.