James Budinich is a Croatian-American composer and sound artist writing music inspired by minimalism, Croatian folk traditions, and American popular music. Embracing collaboration as a core part of his process, he writes for performances, films, and installations, using both acoustic instruments and electronic sound design.

He has worked with Sydeboob Duo (Without the Gold That It Takes, 2025), movement artist Waeli Wang (Resonant Body, 2025), Pigeonwing Dance (The Choreography of CRISPR, 2022), and Ensemble Illyrica (Apoksiomen, 2022), among other collaborators. Recent performances include the Ear Taxi Festival, Pulsar Festival, Mise-En New Music Festival, Bled Contemporary Music Week, and others across the United States and internationally. His work has been supported by New Music USA, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center, the American Scandinavian Foundation, and Works & Process at the Guggenheim.

James currently serves as Lecturer in Composition and Music Creation Technologies at Binghamton University. He previously received a Ph.D. in Music Composition from Duke University in 2022, and was in residence at Copenhagen’s Royal Danish Academy of Music as a Fulbright Scholar in 2020-21.

For more information, scores, or new collaborations, email james.budinich@gmail.com