I've always felt that there's a point where a piece seems to be alive, that is, living. And that's the point where I know the composition is finished.

After a stint teaching at Darmstadt from 1956 to 1961 Tudor began to wind up his activities as a pianist to concentrate on composing. The composer with whom Tudor is particularly associated is John Cage. He wrote mostly electronic works many commissioned by Cage's partner choreographer Merce Cunningham.