In Atlas Orchestra, forty musicians playing instruments from a wide range of cultural backgrounds come together to perform an entirely new work. Related string, plucked, wind, and percussion instruments from China, Japan, Korea, India, Iran, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Syria, Turkey, and Europe create an exciting and inspiring sonic palette. These outstanding musicians share the stage, sounding and interacting in all their musical diversity. Atlas Orchestra is a total composition by Joël Bons.
For Nomaden, a predecessor 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 finding expression in various formations, forging unique relationships.”
– Joël Bons
Atlas Orchestra was created in 2025 as a co-production of Oranjewoud Festival, Holland Festival, Atlas Ensemble, NTR ZaterdagMatinee, Stichting Atlas & Co, and percussion ensemble HIIIT. In recent years, Oranjewoud Festival has presented various projects with Bons and his musicians – a series of experiments and discoveries that culminated in this composition, which premiered at the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
Photos world premiere
Video archives
Joël Bons – Atlas Orchestra Book 1 (world premiere), 21.6.25 Holland Festival x NTR ZaterdagMatinee 
Joël Bons – Atlas Orchestra Book 2 (world premiere), 21.6.25 Holland Festival x NTR ZaterdagMatinee 
The making of Atlas Orchestra – documentary NTR 
Atlas Ensemble – Joël Bons 132 管 Guǎn, world premiere 2 June 2024, Oranjewoud Festival 
Joël Bons 283 Strings – Atlas Ensemble, Oranjewoud Festival 29 May 2023 
Joël Bons 283 Strings suite (7 short pieces) – Atlas Ensemble, Oranjewoud Festival 29 May 2023 
Joël Bons – Nomaden (trailer) – Jean-Guihen Queyras & Atlas Ensemble 
2019 Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition 
Why Atlas? - first three chapters 
Why Atlas? - last three chapters Coproducers
Beneficiaries
