Composer Joël Bons completes a new work for his expanded Atlas Ensemble, now transformed into an orchestra. Following his highly acclaimed Nomaden, this piece once again marks a grand addition to his oeuvre.
The Atlas Orchestra is a new collective consisting of more than forty musicians from diverse cultural backgrounds. It originates from the Atlas Ensemble, which Joël Bons founded in 2002. Related string, wind, and percussion instruments from East Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe come together to create an exciting sonic palette. After centuries of evolution, the Atlas Orchestra reunites these ‘descendants’ and their musical diversity. This gives rise to ‘new music,’ a source of inspiration for both musicians and listeners.
For Nomaden, a predecessor of this work, Joël Bons was awarded the prestigious Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition in 2019—the ‘Nobel Prize for Music.’ With this new composition, which symbolizes the connection of cultures, Bons continues this journey. A unique orchestra rarely heard live!