Robert James (RJ) Wuagneux

is a PhD candidate in Critical Music Studies. His dissertation,“The Ground On Which We Listen: Phish, Improvisation, Affect, and World-Building” is a case study using the contemporary rock band Phish to explore how live improvised music and complementary scene aesthetic work to generate and sustain a highly affective musical environment. In turn, the project considers how Phish scene practices are used in “phans’” world-building efforts toward racial equity in the live music scene at large. RJ is also interested in analysis of music in just intonation, particularly the work of La Monte Young and Michael Harrison. RJ served as the Music Department Senator in the Stony Brook Graduate Student Organization from 2017-2020, and served as Treasurer-elect for the 2020-2021 academic year. His interdisciplinary music scholarship has recently been recognized by the Alumni Association Doctoral Summer Fellowship (2023) and the Ackerman Award for Excellence in Music Scholarship (2022) from Stony Brook University. Currently, RJ is serving as an Assistant Professor of Music Theory at Appalachian State University.