Druk Luyang

Druk Luyang is the latest project by guitarist and composer Bram Stadhouders, percussionist Joost Lijbaart, and Bhutanese singer and musical heritage bearer Sonam Dorji. A meeting of three worlds, where ancient Buddhist traditions merge with ambient soundscapes, improvisation, and Western lyricism.

During a tour in 2023, Stadhouders and Lijbaart became the first Dutch jazz musicians to perform in Bhutan, at the invitation of the Hidden Kingdom Music Festival. There, they met Sonam Dorji, a key figure in the preservation and dissemination of traditional Bhutanese music. In the days that followed, recordings emerged in which Dorji’s devotional singing and compositions took on a new perspective through the soundscapes of guitar, electronics, and percussion.

Druk Luyang – literally “the music of the dragon” – is an ode to the mystical atmosphere of the Himalayas. The result is a meditative yet layered sonic universe, where East and West meet in a natural and organic way.

In June 2025, Sonam Dorji will travel from Bhutan to Europe for a residency in Italy. This rare opportunity makes it possible to present Druk Luyang live in the Netherlands — a unique chance to experience this extraordinary collaboration in an intimate concert setting.

Bram Stadhouders (Tilburg, 1987) is one of the most adventurous guitarists of his generation. With performances in over 60 countries, projects with the Netherlands Chamber Choir, and numerous boundary-pushing albums, he moves seamlessly between jazz, contemporary classical, and electronic music.

Joost Lijbaart gained international recognition with the Yuri Honing Trio and is known for his versatile, melodic approach to drums and percussion. He has collaborated with artists such as Ibrahim Maalouf, Wolfert Brederode, and Rima Khcheich.

Sonam Dorji is a passionate advocate for Bhutanese folk music and director of the Bhutan Music Institute in Thimphu. He is a master of various traditional instruments such as the dranyen (Bhutanese lute), and contributes globally to keeping his country’s musical heritage alive.

Joost Lijbaart, drums / percussion
Bram Stadhouders, guitar / electronics
Sonam Dorji , vocals
Oene van Geel , violin

Druk Luyang on Spotify