| Idea | In
music,
harmony is the simultaneous combination of sounds. In
society, it is a state of concord. An anarchic harmony is
one arrived at through social situations that
de-emphasize leadership and encourage voluntary
cooperation between individuals and groups. Examples from our world of anarchic harmonies in flourish are global free trade, the Internet, and volunteer fire departments. Social mechanisms that tend to suffer its absence are governments, organizations of most every kind, employment, and the conducted orchestra. Through work in the arts and the world of ideas, Anarchic Harmony Foundation seeks to exemplify and illuminate a social process whose time of essentiality has arrived. |
Anarchic Harmony Foundation |
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| Description | A non-profit, tax-exempt organization that funds and manages research and projects in the fields of music, opera, multimedia, Internet, theatrical architecture and design, social and cultural economics. The bond that informs these is a commitment to non-hierarchical art, work and association. |
| Our Name | Our
name is a quiet dedication to John Cage. Andrew Culver,
who chose the name, worked with John Cage for many years,
but in truth, everyone associated with Anarchic Harmony
Foundation felt his enlivening influence. In his last years, John Cage was making a music that, while extremely simple, produced long, rich harmonies. The joy for him was the knowledge that he had done nothing to guarantee the harmoniousness. There was no score, no conductor, and no beat. Each player was a soloist. Durations evolved through a combination of player choices and chance operations. Pitches also were derived through chance. After hearing many of these pieces, he found a phrase to describe them: anarchic harmony. Stefan Schadler and Walter Zimmermann called their 1992 festival in Frankfurt, dedicated entirely to Cage's music, Anarchic Harmony. So here we are, proud to be in good company. |
| Funding | Anarchic Harmony Foundation was formed in the autumn of 1996. At this time, appropriate funding mechanisms are being explored. Suggestions are welcome. |
| Contact | AHF@anarchicharmony.org |
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