Founded in 2013 by Jan Kuhr, it was originally formed to provide composers at Codarts Hogeschool voor de Kunsten with opportunities to write for and directly work with large ensembles. Since then, AKOM Ensemble has grown beyond the limits of the Conservatory and now strives to engage today’s audiences through inspiring performances as well as bring new music to the forefront of Rotterdam’s cultural scene. AKOM Ensemble seeks to present concerts that inform and entertain an audience after a preparation process that, when appropriate, educates composers. Our process of working with composers will play an important part toward establishing a core repertoire including pieces written specifically for us. As the management team explores possible festivals and venues, we will pay special attention to opportunities for interactive performances that “break the fourth wall” for the audience, including multimedia features and circus or dance collaborations. Because the service of new music creates the core of the ensemble’s activity, control over the quality of music and its presentation informs all other choices made by the management team. AKOM is made up of both freelance musicians, and students from conservatories in Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Den Haag. AKOM also has its own quartet comprised of solely AKOM members. Currently they are Ioan Haffner- Violin, Federico Dalpra- Flute, Panagiotis Gklistis-Piano, and Letizia Elsa Maula- Clarinet. This past year, the AKOM Quartet won 1st prize in the Fontys De Toonzaal Chamber Music Contest. Their prize was two concerts; the first in Eindhoven and the second in De Toonzaal Den Bosch. Over the past two years AKOM has gained much momentum in the city and has been invited to play in De Doelen multiple times, as well as some of the other more notorious venues in and around Rotterdam. This year they have already performed at the Gaudeamus music festival in Utrecht, and will be invited back to De Doelen to perform as part of their Red Sofa Series Program. They also are planning a large project with the dance department from Codarts. This project entails four composers from the Codarts Composition department pairing up with four Choreographers to each premier a work based on the different aspects of psychology. Last year AKOM Ensemble presented Daylight in the Night, a performance in collaboration with Rotterdams Centrum voor Theater as part of Rotterdam's 75 Jaar Oorlog in de Stad festival. The festival commemorated the First World War through theater performances. They also participated in The Big Day, an all-day festival celebrating fresh talent in Rotterdam through music, dance, and acrobatic performances. Conductor Roberto Beltran-Zavala has been working with us for 3 years and with him at the helm, AKOM will continue to make it’s mark on the contemporary music scene in and around Rotterdam.