Atlas Orchestra

The Atlas Orchestra is an idea of composer Joël Bons. It is a new collective that comprises over forty musicians hailing from different cultures. It came out of the Atlas Ensemble, founded in 2002 by Joël Bons. Related string, wind and percussion instruments from China, Japan, Korea, India, Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Syria, Turkey and Europe come together to form an exciting and inspiring sound palette.

The Atlas Orchestra brings families of instruments together in an entirely new composition of Joël Bons.

For Nomaden, a precursor to this work, Bons received the 2019 Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition, often referred to as the 'Nobel Prize for music'.

'I imagine a large group of players from all corners of the world, each with different instruments, a wide range of colours and cultures that finds expression in various formations, forging unique relationships.'

– Joël Bons 

The Atlas Orchestra concert will be produced in collaboration with Oranjewoud Festival, the initiator of the project, NTR ZaterdagMatinee, Stichting Atlas & Co, and percussion ensemble HIIIT. In past years, the Oranjewoud Festival presented a number of projects with Joël Bons and musicians of the Atlas Orchestra that served as preliminary studies and/or building blocks for the work premiering during the Holland Festival. The 2025 Oranjewoud Festival from 13 to 15 June will also showcase various Atlas activities under the 'Atlas Festival' name.