Merce Cunningham, choreographer and John Cage musician and composer speak about music and dance. The two gentlemen discuss with Studs how music and dance come together to create the avant-garde of art in both worlds (music and dance).

Self-taught composer Maurice Weddington talks about his music career from his early years when he was raised on the West Side of Chicago to his performances around Western Europe.

Considered one of the most influential 20th-century composers, John Cage and musician/composer Peter Gena discuss their upcoming performance at the Rubloff Auditorium. Cage's pieces will be featured at this performance, including Hymnkus.

The program begins with an excerpt from BBC Radio about a hoax piece of music by Pietorzac (Hans Keller). Hans Keller and a friend went into studio and made noise and presented it as music. In this round table discussion the three gentlemen - all composers, musicians, and educators, discuss with Studs, contemporary music and the standards for defining a composition as music. In the second hour, they discuss what level of knowledge of music a critic should have in order to form a proper opinion of music. All animatedly offer their opinion to both the pro's and the cons.

In this round table discussion the three gentlemen - all composers, musicians, and educators - discuss with Studs contemporary music and the standards for defining a composition in music. In the second hour they discuss what level of knowledge of music a critic should have in order to form a proper opinion of music. All animatedly offer their opinion to both the pro and the con. A movement of both Blackwood and Shapey compositions is played.

Joel Sachs discusses Russian avant-garde music and Soviet Union artists.

Studs Terkel has a conversation with Easley Blackwood, and Ralph Shapey, composers and Paul Fromm philanthropist and patron of the music arts. They discuss contemporary music, composing music, composers and the passion of creating music.