On Sunday, January 13 from 1 – 4pm, The Polygon Gallery will be staging a performance of Musicircus written in 1967 by legendary composer John Cage. The idea of the piece is simple: as many musicians as possible are invited to perform anything they want and in any way they desire – all at the same time! For Cage, the blurred lines between performer and listener, the lack of a dominant focal point, and the atmosphere of controlled chaos creates a democratic, inclusive piece that mirrors the amiably anarchic society he envisioned.

Performed in conjunction with Hannah Rickards’ installation One can make out the surface only by placing any dark-coloured object on the ground, and in collaboration with the Blueridge Chamber Music Festival, Musicircus is a uniquely powerful act of artistic community. Listeners also participate in the creation of the composition by moving around the venue – in this case, space throughout The Polygon Gallery – thus changing the kaleidoscope of sounds they encounter. As Cage promised, “You won’t hear anything; you’ll hear everything.”

The artistic director is Hannah Rickards and the musical director is Dory Hayley. The program will include Cage’s compositions Litany for the Whale, Sonatas and Interludes, Suite for Toy Piano, Inlets, and Ear for Ear, among others, as well as readings from Indeterminancy.