My compositional research focusses on developing and deploying artist-led creative technologies (including AI, video game technologies and improvising machines) that empower creativity. It positions live musical performance as a valuable space for reflecting on and challenging our relationship with emerging technologies.
I am currently a Career Development Fellow in Composition at Jesus College, Oxford University, and an Associate at PRiSM (the Centre for Practice & Research in Science & Music at the Royal Northern College of Music).
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You can download a version of my CV here (last updated April 2025).
My PhD at PRiSM (2018-2022) was in association with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council through the North-West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership. You can read it here.
Recent research projects
TECHNO-UTOPIA
(page under development)
Towards Astromusicology
(page under development)
Articles & interviews
Laidlow, R. (2025). "AI Innovation and Orchestras". In Why technology needs artists: 40 international perspectives. British Council. https://doi.org/10.57884/Z34F-0732
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Laidlow, R. (2024). "Generative AI and Music Composition". In Music, Technology, Innovation (pp. 253-273). Routledge.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003041474
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Laidlow, R. (2024) "Artificial Intelligence and the Symphony Orchestra" in Classical Music Futures. Open Book Publisher.
https://doi.org/10.11647/obp.0353.18
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Laidlow, R.*, Mehnert, W.*, Haith, C., Laubscher, S. (2024). Sound of Contagion – An Artistic Research Project Exploring A.I. as a Creative Tool for Transmedial Storytelling. In Eckart Voigts et al. (eds.), Artificial Intelligence - Intelligent Art? Human-Machine Interaction and Creative Practice. Transcript Publishing.
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Kanga, Z. (…) Laidlow, R. (et al.) (2024). Technology and Contemporary Classical Music: Methodologies in Practice-Based Research. Project Report. National Centre for Research Methods.
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​Laidlow, R. (2023). Silicon for Orchestra and Artificial Intelligence. Proceedings of AIMC 2023. Retrieved from https://aimc2023.pubpub.org/pub/wbt654g2
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Laidlow, R. (2023). Warp. Textual Practice, 37(12), 1856-1859.
​https://doi.org/10.1080/0950236x.2023.2275375
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de Roure, D., Laidlow, R., (et al.) (2019). Alter - An Ensemble Work Composed with and about AI. Digital Music Research Network Proceedings 2019.
BBC Radio 3 Music Matters (2023) interview on Silicon and AI
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New Scientist video interview on Silicon
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PRiSM's Emily Howard and Robert Laidlow: Mathematics, AI and the orchestra PRS Article
Alter, Artificial Intelligence and the Modern Polymath
Royal Philharmonic Society article
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Inventing the Lovelace Engine
PRiSM Article
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​BBC Radio 3 Music Matters (2019) - AI and the future of music
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University of Salford Research Festival/BBC Philharmonic Performance
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Pre-performance interview ahead of performance of Alter
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Calculus of the Nervous System interview
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Generating the Future interview and event
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RNCM Radio Interview and broadcast
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Recent & upcoming talks
Public lecture-performance on AI, Creativity & Beethoven. At the Berlin Konzerthaus. 03/06/2025.
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Post-Singularity Songs: Custom Language Models as Worldbuilding Oracles. Invited talk at Edinburgh Futures Institute Conference on AI and the Voice. 07/03/2025
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Embedding Stacco into Orchestral Composition. At the Intelligent Instruments Lab Seminar, University of Reykjavik. 29/11/2024.
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King, G., & Laidlow, R. Metamodernism in UK Contemporary Music: Perspectives from Practioners. At the Royal Musical Association Conference. Senate House, University of London. 12/09/2024
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Disruptor, Imitator, Listener, Improvisor: Embracing AI in the Compositional Process. Invited talk at ‘Critical & Creative Digital Dynamics: A Symposium on AI & Digital Innovations for Inter-art Chamber Music Practices’ at the School of Advanced Study, University of London. 24/06/2024.
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Towards Non-Human Music: Songbirds, Funghi and Artificial Intelligence. Invited keynote Talk at the Elbphilharmonie ‘Art of Music Education’ symposium. Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg, Germany. 01/03/24
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Collaborating in the Digital Space at the 2024 Association of British Orchestras Conference. Bristol Beacon. 25/01/2024.
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Music in the Age of AI at Guildhall School of Music & Drama ResearchWorks Series. 06/11/2023.
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‘Spectra and structures: navigating compositional latent spaces in chamber and orchestral music’ at OSMiTA. Oxford University. 24/10/2023.
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Three Strategies for Incorporating Artificial Intelligence into the Compositional Process of Orchestral Music at AIMC Conference 2023, Brighton. 30/08/2023.
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Music that contains itself: proportionality as musical material at the Society for Music Analysis annual conference, Oxford University. 07/07/2023.
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Silicon Soul; Neural Synthesis as Archive-Specific Compositional Tool at the Cyborg Soloists Symposium, Royal Holloway University. 16/06/23
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Presenting on my current and ongoing research at the Digital Hub in Jesus College, Oxford. 17/05/23
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New Horizons panel member at the ISM Empowered Musician Day 2023. 23/04/23
Music and Artificial Intelligence: mimic or muse? at Wolfson College, Oxford University. 09/02/23
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Artificial Intelligence as Creative Agent in the Compositional Process at the 57th Royal Musical Association Annual Conference, Newcastle University. 14-16/09/21
Presenting on my work at New Music Gathering, Augsburg University, Minneaopolis, Minnesota. 12-18/08/21.
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Presenting on my work at the Alan Turing Institute, AI&ARTS Webinar Series. 25/06/21
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Artificial Intelligence and the Orchestra at 'Towards 2040: Creating Classical Music Futures', Maastricht Centre for the Innovation of Classical Music. 22/04/21
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Alter (2019) presented as part of the Machine Creativity Showcase, NeurIPS Conference, Vancouver. December 2020.
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Alter (2019) presented as part of the 2020 Conference on AI Music Creativity, KTH, Stockholm. 18-23/10/20
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Three Entistatios (2019) presented as part of BBC Blue Room Sounds Amazing Conference 2020.
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