University of Virginia Library

'Mixed-Media'

In 1952, while teaching at Black
Mountain College in North
Carolina, Cage created the first
'mixed-media' performance or
'Happening' in America, and since
then a number of recordings of his
works have been released on the
Columbia, Nonesuch, and Folkways
labels, including his "Fontana Mix"
and "Variations IV". Early in his
career Cage invented the "prepared
piano", by which he first became
famous.