Because his lectures are presented as they are written, with the composer reciting the words which the computer produces in a completely random order, Cage is offering seminars at Harvard this year to explain what his style and compositions mean.

"The lectures in their poetic form don't make normal sense, so I feel obliged to give a normal rendition every once a week so people can ask questions," he says.

Cage has also been working on "random" lectures on the subjects of anarchy and modern artist Jasper Johns. He plans to deliver the speeches to audiences at the Richmond Museum and the Philadelphia Art Museum respectively and has also been composing a "chance" symphony for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

"The piece for the orchestra is for April, and it's called `101,'" he says. "It's going to use 101 players--strings, brass, woodwind, harp, piano and percussion."

"I have no lack of requests for music," Cage says. "I have to learn to say no."

Cage was invited to be the Charles Eliot Norton Lecturer this year by members of Harvard's music department and a Norton Lectures committee composed of faculty members. Past Norton lecturers have included Igor Stravinsky, Harold Blum, Frank Stella and Robert Frost.