Alex Orfaly composed Danzón Luna for the New World Symphony specifically to feature our current Timpani Fellow, Matthew Kibort, occupying Orfaly’s old position with the symphony. In discussions about the commission, Maestro Michael Tilson Thomas suggested a piece with a Latin flavor to it, and Orfaly explains,

When he said “Latin” two things popped into my head: a Latin percussion section of Guiro, Maracas, Claves and Bongos and, the open string tuning of a guitar, which lead me to want to include a harp in the piece. After that I wanted to create a Latin inspired ensemble so the Piano, Vibes and Bass all seemed to fit very naturally.

The title of the piece actually has a double meaning. In literal translation, the title suggests a Moon Dance. But Orfaly also has composed the piece as a tribute to his beloved black Standard Poodle named Luna, who passed away last year. The animated spirit of the music evokes Luna’s fun-loving nature, which Orfaly also captured in an earlier work, his 2011 The Mean Man’s March, based on the human and canine social complexities of the dog park.