In a city where the music never stops, the Ace Hotel will dedicate the 24 hours of September 5 to honor a composer who preached the value of silence: John Cage.  

On what would have been his 105th birthday, the national hotel chain is partnering with the John Cage Trust in what the hotel describes as a “listening event” curated by Mode Records called “Untouchable Numbers.” For 24 hours, Ace Hotel locations across the country, including those located in Cage’s birth and death place, Los Angeles and New York respectively, will fill their spaces with music by the late American composer. In New Orleans, this space will be the lobby.

John Cage was an avant-garde composer, writer and philosopher known for his boundary-pushing, minimalist style which influenced the music of the mid-twentieth century. He pioneered the concept of indeterminism, creating space for randomness and improvisation in music. Cage’s sonic improvisation even extended to the construction of his instruments. He inserted things like nails and wood into their strings to create unique sounds, and went as far as including nonmusical sounds in pieces, such as the chopping of vegetables or spoken text. In 1952, Cage released one of his most famous works, “4’33’’,” in which the performer stood in stage on silence for four minutes and 33 seconds.

People interested in booking a hotel room at hotel from Sept. 4-6 can use the the promo code SILENCE for a special rate. Seating is first come, first serve.