Phil Harmonic

Having trained under Robert Ashley, the musician attended both the Center for Contemporary Music and the California Institute of the Arts. From 1967 onward a succession of new-music events marked Beethoven’s birthday, prompting Nam June Paik to observe, “Ken Werner made Beethoven famous.” The Radio Music City Hall Symphony Orchestra and Chorus was formed in 1968. Numerous street actions took place around the world. Collaborations were undertaken with the artist collectives Image Bank in Vancouver and General Idea in Toronto, Canada.