Cardew was a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral for eight years, and he later studied at the RAM. He received a scholarship from the RAM in 1957 to study electronic music in Köln. He served as an assistant to
Stockhausen from 1958-60 and collaborated with him on the composition Carré. After a period as a graphic designer,
Cardew became professor of composition at the RAM in 1967. Influenced by
Cage and
Tudor,
Cardew was interested in the idea of performer participation in the creation of a work. He composed music that could be realized in several ways with notation that is a suggestion of the possible interpretations of the score. His most important work with this method is his graphic score Treatise (1963-7). In it, the performers must interpret the work as a sound version of how they see the score. This score can also be read as an abstract visual artwork.
Cardew was also a frequent performer of the work of
Stockhausen,
Cage,
Feldman and
Wolff. Together with pianist
John Tilbury,
Cardew became known as a leading interpreter of experimental and indeterminate music in England. ~ Lynn Vought, All Music Guide
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Four Principles on Ireland and Other Pieces