Cage Shock

Contemporary Music | Livestream

Thursday, December 7, 7:30 pm ET

Playbill (PDF) →

In collaboration with experimental sound artists Tania Caroline Chen and Victoria Shen, Tomomi Adachi recreates the essence of John Cage’s historic visit to Japan in 1962, often referred to as “Cage Shock.” Through renditions of Cage’s iconic pieces, such as Haiku and 0’00”, Adachi captures the spirit of that transformative tour. The program also features Toshi Ichiyanagi’s Sapporo, which premiered in 1962 and was conducted by John Cage. Ichiyanagi (1933-2022), an esteemed Japanese composer and the first husband of Yoko Ono, developed a close friendship with Cage during his 1950s residency in New York City and played a pivotal role in organizing Cage’s inaugural trip to Japan, with visits to Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and the city of Sapporo. This is the livestream performance of the event.

For this concert, International Contemporary Ensemble members include Kyle Armburst (viola), Katinka Kleijn (cello), Michael Nicolas (cello) and Mike Lormand (trombone).

Part of the John Cage’s Japan Series
September—December, 2023

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Images: Cage Shock: Homage to his First Japan Visit © Photo by Yasuhiro Yoshioka, Courtesy of Sogetsu Foundation; Tomomi Adachi © Aichi Triennale; Victoria Shen © Damien Maloney; Tania Caroline Chen © Fabio Lugaro; Kyle Armbrust © digitice media team; Katinka Kleijn © Tiberiu Romanti; Michael Nicolas © Kevin Yatarola; Mike Lormand © Mike Gurfield; Kevin Yatarola; John Cage’s Japan Series © Photo by Yasuhiro Yoshioka, Courtesy of Sogetsu Foundation.

Support for John Cage’s Japan is generously provided by Doug and Teresa Peterson and the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional support from Nancy and Joe Walker, and the Nomura Foundation.

Support for the international travel for Tomomi Adachi for Cage Shock is provided by The Japan Foundation.

2023-24 Performing Arts Season Support

The season is made possible, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Major support is generously provided by Doug and Teresa Peterson and Hisamitsu America, Inc. Endowment support is provided by the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Endowment Fund, the John and Miyoko Davey Endowment Fund, and the Endowment for the Performing Arts, established with a leadership gift from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Additional support is provided by The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Nancy and Joe Walker, Dr. and Mrs. Carl F. Taeusch II, Dr. Jeanette C. Takamura, Estate of Alan M. Suhonen, and Friends of the Performing Arts. All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. is the official airline of the Japan Society Performing Arts Program. Yamaha is the official piano provider of Japan Society.

Japan Society programs are made possible by leadership support from Booth Ferris Foundation and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.