photo: Raymond Dekker

Jonás

Jonás Bisquert, born in Madrid, grew up in a culturally diverse environment and immersed himself early in singing and playing music.

He studied classical piano at the Madrid Conservatory, earning a teaching diploma, later expanding into jazz at the Escuela de Música Creativa and deepening his connection with flamenco during long stays in Cádiz.

He continued his studies in the Netherlands, completing a Bachelor’s in Composition at the Utrechts Conservatorium and a Master’s in Composition for the Stage at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, specialising in Advanced Rhythm. Travel and cultural immersion have been central to his artistic development, with extended periods in Java (Indonesia), Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands, and musical research trips to Misiones (Paraguay/Argentina), Karnataka (India) and Casamance (Senegal).

Jonás now composes for diverse formats, drawing on long-term engagement with Javanese, Carnatic, Arabic and other performing arts to shape a distinctive intercultural voice.

He teaches Advanced Rhythm at the conservatories of Amsterdam, The Hague and Utrecht, working with composers, classical performers and improvisers. He is also active in community music, making music weekly in Asylum Seeker Centres and co-facilitating MusicAZ@Utrecht. As a programme developer for Gaudeamus, he creates events, moderates debates and leads seminars and interviews.

Beyond this, he advises on cultural policy and contributes to community arts projects across schools, neighbourhoods and cultural venues. In 2023, he served as Stadscomponist (city composer) of Utrecht.