Something happens then something else happens then all sorts of other things happen

James Saunders x soundinitiative

Soundinitiative is collaborating with British composer James Saunders on a new work tailored specifically for the ensemble’s musicians. Something happens then something else happens then all sorts of other things happen is a modular composition that investigates group dynamics, treating the performance space as a game-like environment. Through this, the project delves into how musicians make individual and collective decisions, navigating between self-interest and social cohesion

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I’ve made six versions of the piece to play with, all of which will ask the players to respond quickly to changing sets of rules and constraints. It’s a little like the experience of working in an organization: just when you think you know what you are doing, something changes and you have to do it in a different way, or do something else entirely. It’s been fun putting these versions together to see what might work, and to think about how organizational dynamics might play out in an ensemble. We’ll see!  – James Saunders, octobre 2024