(as of 2026)
Michael P. Atkinson a multifaceted professional musician, active as a composer/arranger, conductor, and instrumentalist.
Composer/Arranger
A distinguished composer/arranger/orchestrator, Michael’s diverse credits and collaborations include Sufjan Stevens, Justin Peck, William Kentridge, Netherlands Philharmonic, Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Rufus Wainwright, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lincoln Center Presents, BBC Proms, among many others. Michael’s new arrangement of Keith Jarrett’s Book of Ways for The Knights and Aaron Diehl received its premiere at Carnegie hall in October 2024. Michael has orchestrated the music of Craig Taborn and Jacob Bro for the 2025 and 2026 editions of “Jazz Meets Symphonic” with the Brussles Philharmonic and Flagey.
Michael and Mikael Karlsson have jointly composed a new score for Scottish Ballet, choreographer Sophie Laplane, and director James Bonas, entitled Mary, Queen of Scots, which premiered to critical acclaim at the 2025 Edinburgh International Festival, and at Sadler’s Wells Theater in March 2026. Performances are scheduled at Spoleto Festival USA (May 28-30, 2026), and at Lincoln Center in NYC (June 4-7, 2026). Mary, Queen of Scots is the second collaboration with Karlsson and Scottish Ballet, following the multi-award winning Coppélia, which was choreographed and directed by Jessica Wright and Morgann Runacre-Temple
The Knights have commissioned Michael as part of their multi-year Rhapsody project. The new work, entitled “American Folk Rhapsody” will premiere in July 2027 in NYC at the Naumburg Bandshell.
Conductor
Currently, Michael is Associate Conductor of The Knights. He has appeared on the podium at the Naumburg Bandshell in New York’s Central Park, at Tanglewood’s Seiji Ozawa Hall, and Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. He has also led The Knights in world-premiere collaborations with BalletCollective, and a special side-by-side concert with Knights musicians alongside students from Chamber Music Center of New York. In May 2025, Michael led the NYC premiere of “The History of Red” by Reena Esmail at Carnegie Hall, featuring soprano Kathryn Mueller.
Since 2022, Michael has conducted Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf and Third Bird by Nico Muhly, both staged by Dance Heginbotham, featuring Issac Mizrahi and Ensemble Connect on the Guggenheim Museum’s Works and Process series.
Michael has also appeared as guest conductor with New York City Ballet, the Orlando Philharmonic, and as conductor/producer of numerous commercial recordings in NYC and Europe.
Instrumentalist
An accomplished French hornist, Michael was active in the New York City music scene for more than 15 years, performing regularly with the New York Philharmonic, on Broadway shows and commercial recordings, and with numerous ensembles around town including Orchestra of St. Lukes, Orpheus, International Contemporary Ensemble, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, American Symphony Orchestra, and Mark Morris Dance Group Music Ensemble.
Professional Resume: