In March 2026, Metropole Orkest celebrated its 80th anniversary with a specially commissioned composition titled Arakatak, accompanied by a unique concert and video. During the anniversary evening, the audience was seated among the orchestra, allowing them to both hear and see the new work Arakatak for the first time.
The piece was created by eight contemporary composers, commissioned by the orchestra to write “music of the future.” The result is a long and distinctive listening experience, featuring influences from Jazz and film music.
The accompanying music video (shown here) also premiered during the anniversary concert. The animation was created especially for Metropole Orkest by Shop Around, in collaboration with acclaimed comic artist Typex, a longtime friend of Studio Shop and its parent company, Shop Around.
This new work was developed under the direction of composer, arranger and regular guest conductor Miho Hazama, who was born in Tokyo and is based in New York. Metropole Orkest released Arakatak also on vinyl, featuring contributions from, among others, conductor and master arranger Vince Mendoza, David Bowie collaborator Donny McCaslin, boundary-pushing drummer Mark Guiliana, horn player Morris Kliphuis, and pianist Shai Maestro.
It goes without saying that we are proud to have contributed to this special production and to be part of such an outstanding group of artists.