things to do is a series of pieces which use a set of instructions in different categories (including noises, pitches, devices and processes) spoken by players and other participants during the performance and which govern the actions made by the players. Players respond to instructions they can hear by realizing the defined actions as soon as possible after they are spoken. The differences in each piece, and the relationships between the players and other participants, are determined by constraints which govern who each player responds to and who gives instructions. It creates modes of interaction between individuals, allows group behaviours to emerge, and reveals the personal characteristics of each performer in an immediate way. Players may use any instruments, sound-producing objects, devices or sound processing equipment (digital, analogue, or acoustic), and performances are characterised by the wide range of personal choices brought together as a group.
This item contains an interview with James Saunders by Alphonsine Houëves and Mélanie Kays in French new music magazine Revue et Corrigee:
Houëves,
A. (2018). James Saunders: Sound Properties Of Group Materials And Behaviors,
Things To Do. Revue et Corrigée 118: 30–36.