Ensemble Atmosphères - Boulez, Yazdani, Jolas

The Ensemble Atmosphères and its soloists pay tribute to the exceptional architecture and acoustics of the Salle Cortot with works that exploit the spatiality of the hall. Featuring the world premiere of a work written for the Ensemble Atmosphères by Iranian composer, Nastaran Yazdani. Programme:

Commission to Nastaran Yazdani, alumni of the École Normale de Musique de Paris

Pieces by Betsy Jolas and Olga Neuwirth

Pierre Boulez, Répons (1981-1984)

Distribution:

The Ensemble Atmosphères is a chamber orchestra led by conductor Ilyich Rivas, who serves as its musical director, and double bassist Will Cravy. It brings together young, virtuous and versatile musicians who share a desire to explore the extraordinary variety of 20th and 21st-century repertoires to reveal their full power and singularity to the public. Each programme is conceived around a thematic thread with the idea of defining the “new classics” from post-war to today, always associated with major works from the early 20th century, to make each concert a demanding yet always accessible musical experience. For its second season, Atmosphères once again partners with the Salle Cortot and invites international soloists to share the stage with its musicians, while highlighting the individual talents of the ensemble members, for a series of unprecedented concerts including accomplished students from the École Normale de Musique. American-Venezuelan conductor Ilyich Rivas was 16 when he made his debut leading the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Trained at the Peabody Institute, then as assistant conductor to Marin Alsop and Vladimir Jurowski, he has since conducted some of the most prestigious international orchestras. He settled in Paris in 2022 following a tour with the Orchestre National d’Île-de-France and founded the Ensemble Atmosphères in 2025, to promote contemporary music.