David Tudor

David Eugene Tudor, born January 20, 1926, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was an American pianist and composer of experimental music. He studied piano with Irma Wolpe and composition with Stefan Wolpe, becoming known for his performances of avant-garde piano music. Tudor gave the first American performance of Pierre Boulez's Piano Sonata No. 2 in 1950 and premiered works by John Cage, including "Music of Changes" and "4'33". In 1969, he set up India’s first electronic music studio. After John Cage's death in 1992, Tudor became music director of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. He died on August 13, 1996, after a series of strokes in Tomkins Cove, New York.