Robert Laidlow is a composer and technologist. His “gigantically imaginative” (BBC Radio 3) music is concerned with discovering and developing new forms of musical expression through the relationship between live performance, advanced technology and interdisciplinary collaboration.

His compositions exploring the intersection of music, adaptive technology and creativity span orchestral, chamber, and solo works. ‘TECHNO-UTOPIA’, commissioned by BBC Radio 3 and the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, and ‘Silicon’, a symphonic-length work for the BBC Philharmonic, explore human music-making in the age of AI and have been featured in the New York Times, the New Scientist, Sky News, Bachtrack, BBC Radio, and international television. Robert’s creative process also frequently involves collaborations with scientists; his orchestral work ‘Exoplanets’, commissioned by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Interfinity Festival with Sinfonieorchester Basel, was developed through collaboration with astrophysicists across the world.

He read Music at Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge, before studying at the Royal Academy of Music. From 2018-22 he was the PRiSM PhD Researcher in Artificial Intelligence in association with the BBC Philharmonic at the Royal Northern College of Music and from 2022-25 was a Career Development Fellow in Composition at Jesus College, University of Oxford.

Research interests and PhD supervision

• Musical Composition
• Aesthetics, Ethics and Creativity in AI and Music
• Music Technology

Robert's research interests lie in understanding the aesthetic impact of AI and other advanced technologies on musical composition, performance and listening and in designing ethical, creatively valuable and impactful technologies drawing on humanities scholarship and creative practice. His research and compositions highlight musical performance as an essential space for examining, interpreting and challenging our relationship with emerging technologies. His work positions artistic practice and humanities scholarship as a necessary part of designing and deploying creative technologies which contribute to a equitable, exciting and creative future.

Current interests include: designing creative AI systems that reject anthropomorphism in their architecture, training data and intended outputs ("non-human AI"); embedding AI into physical musical instruments and composing music for these instruments in collaboration with musicians from a range of backgrounds; establishing models for ethical AI systems that do not require scraping the Internet for copyrighted data; exploring the relationship between the human voice and a digital twin of that voice; and re-imagining the role of (radio) orchestras in the age of AI.

Teaching

Robert teaches postgraduate composition.

Prospective students are welcome to reach out regarding discussing future dissertations and PhD research projects.

Expertise and public engagement

Robert is an active public communicator on music, AI and creativity, regularly contributing to national and international media discussions. His research has been broadcast widely, including on Sky News, BBC 2 & 4, BBC Radio 3 and 4 and international television, and has been covered in publications including the New York Times, the Wire, The Guardian, and New Scientist. He has contributed to policy-facing discussions, such as the British Council's 'Why Technology Needs Artists' and the Association of British Orchestras and ISM panels on AI and Music.

Robert is passionate about making research accessible through public events and performances. He has performed and presented at the Cheltenham Science Festival, the Elbphilharmonie, the Southbank Centre, the Barbican, Cafe Oto and the Berlin Konzerthaus among others. He has worked with the Royal Institution on the BBC's Christmas Lectures on AI in 2019 (with Chineke! Junior Orchestra) and his “PLAY” research project, which transformed video game controllers into musical instruments, was performed and workshopped across the UK.

He has curated radio broadcasts for BBC Radio 3 and interactive events for the BBC Philharmonic and during his time at Oxford, he established a successful public engagement series at Jesus College's Digital Hub, featuring performances and hands-on demonstrations of new technologies. His compositions have been performed by major ensembles including the BBC Philharmonic, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Basel Symphony Orchestra, RTE Concert Orchestra, Riot Ensemble and International Contemporary Ensemble. He serves on the Board of Governors at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Selected publications

• TECHNO-UTOPIA (2025). Concerto for soloist (piano; synthesizers; original embedded AI instruments) and orchestra. Commissioned by BBC Radio 3 and the Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin. 35 minutes.
• Exoplanets (2025). Composition for orchestra. Commissioned by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Interfinity Festival Basel. 25 minutes.
• AI Innovation and Orchestras. In Andrews, H., & Hawcroft, A. (eds.), "Why technology needs artists: 40 international perspectives" (2025). British Council.
• Generative AI and Music Composition. In King, Andrew and Johnson, Carol (eds.), "Music, Technology, Innovation: Industry and Educational Perspectives" (2024). Routledge.
• Artificial Intelligence and the Symphony Orchestra. In Smith, Neil Thomas, Peter Peters, and Karoly Molina (eds.), "Classical music futures: Practices of innovation" (2024). Open Book Publishers.