John Cage (born 1912, Los Angeles; died 1992, New York) is considered one of the most influential musicians of the second half of the 20th century. His multifaceted work has significantly shaped our understanding of artistic avant-garde, not only in music but also in literature and the visual arts, including performances and happenings. Cage went to Europe in 1930 for a year and a half, where he studied architectural history and piano in Paris and became acquainted with the latest developments in the European avant-garde. Upon returning to the USA, he took private lessons from Arnold Schönberg, among others, and founded a percussion ensemble that included Merce Cunningham and Laszlo Moholy-Nagy at times. His close connections with émigré Bauhaus artists, his friendships with Max Ernst and Peggy Guggenheim, as well as his teaching at the legendary Black Mountain, are noteworthy.