Saskia Rao-de Haas adapted her orchestral work Song of Water for sitar, cello octet, and Indian cello—a smaller-sized cello played while seated on the floor. Kayhan Kalhor is one of the most influential contemporary composers and performers in the realm of classical Iranian music; his compositions bridge Persian traditions, Kurdish folk music, and Western classical elements.

In 2016, Joël Bons made a major impact with his work Nomaden, composed for cello and the Atlas Ensemble—a piece that earned him the Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition, often referred to as the "Nobel Prize for music." This was followed by the highly successful Atlas Orchestra Book, composed for the 2025 Holland Festival. His latest work, Zigzag, is written for the Atlas Band (established this year) and Cello Octet Amsterdam, with each cellist paired with a "non-Western" musical partner. The result is an equal balance between two musical worlds, reflecting his commitment to truly intercultural composition.