This module will examine the highly individualistic tradition of American composition in the 20th Century through the contribution of prominent figures and schools such as Ives; The Ultra-Modernists (Cowell, Antheil, Ornstein); Varèse; The New York School (Cage, Feldman, Wolff, Brown); Partch; Fluxus (Brecht, Young, Ono); Minimalism (Young, Riley, Reich and Glass). It will examine the often close relationships between music and other art forms in this period including those with Dance, Drama, Literature and Visual Art. Emphasis will be placed on the understanding of new techniques and ideas developed by American composers such as the prepared piano, the concept of silence, indeterminacy, aleatoric composition, graphic notation, tuning systems, Mechanical music, and rhythmic process.