"His Revolutionary Ideas Had Their Origins in the Singular and Sometimes Outlandish L.A. Cultural Stew"

"The 1928 class valedictorian, Cage graduated with the highest scholastic average at the time in L.A. High's history, and he represented his school in an oratorical contest that spring at the Hollywood Bowl. His winning speech proposed a day of quiet for all Americans. By being hushed and silent, he said, 'we should have the opportunity to hear what other people think.' Nearly a quarter-century later, Cage would shock the musical world with his composition '4'33.' For four minutes and 33 seconds, the performer remains silent, inviting the audience to appreciate sound as an inescapable--and enjoyable--aspect of our environment."

In the Los Angeles Times, Mark Swed marks John Cage's one-hundredth birthday by exploring the composer's upbringing in southern California.