The early 1950s witnessed a sudden and powerful change of aesthetics in American art, as trailblazers in music, dance, and the literary and visual arts, fueled by the collaborative spirit of Black Mountain College, experimented with new forms of art across the disciplines. Central to this burst of creativity was the relationship between composer John Cage (1912–1992) and artist Robert Rauschenberg (1925–2008), who encouraged one another to move forward on radical new paths. In this performance, pianist Thomas Moore will present and discuss a number of Cage’s works from the 1950s — including the composer’s “silent” piece of 1952, 4’33”, which was indelibly linked to Rauschenberg’s 1951 White Paintings.

Pianist Thomas Moore has received acclaim for his performances of contemporary music throughout the United States and Europe, especially for his interpretations of works by John Cage and Morton Feldman. Cage said, “I am delighted that Thomas Moore plays my music, studies and thinks, writes and talks about it. He is an excellent musician, one in whom I have confidence and whose work I enjoy.” His performances can be heard on Neuma Records, Chen Li Music, 10 West Records, O.O. Discs, and Spectrum Records. In 1982 Moore won the Grand Prize of the International Piano Recording Competition for his recording of George Crumb’s Makrokosmos, Volume I. Moore has been Director of Arts and Culture at UMBC since 1995. More about his work is online at thomasmoore.info.

This event is offered in conjunction with the exhibition Rauschenberg 100: New Connections. Please consider coming early to enjoy the exhibition before settling in for a fascinating evening of music and storytelling!

The event is FREE, but preregistration is required. 

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