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James Saunders is a Professor of Music at Bath Spa University, affiliated with the Bath School of Music and Performing Arts. He holds a PhD from the University of Huddersfield and has held roles as an external examiner at multiple institutions, including Brunel University and the Royal Academy of Music. His research focuses on open-form compositions, group behaviors, and rule-based systems that explore decision-making dynamics in musical performance. Saunders has been commissioned by prestigious institutions like Wien Modern and the BBC, with works performed by ensembles such as the Arditti Quartet and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
His academic qualifications include a BMus (Hons), PGDip, MusM, and PhD, all from the University of Huddersfield and Royal Northern College of Music. Professional memberships include the AHRC Peer Review College and PRS for Music. Saunders co-authored the book Word Events: Perspectives on Verbal Notation and supervises PhD students in composition and experimental music, convening the Open Scores Lab.
Research interests emphasize cognitive load, modular composition, and the sociological aspects of music-making. His recent works, such as it is the behaviour that a system tends towards and encourages that needs to be understood (2021), investigate local decision-making’s impact on group consensus. Saunders’ articles analyze topics like rule-based systems and interdisciplinary approaches to music.
