Rochela (Raw Cello)

From the composer: Contrary to what the title of this work indicates, the Spanish word “rochela” does not translate to “raw cello” in English but, instead, it translates to “rowdy party.” The phonetic similarity between these words made it irresistible for me to have “rochela” and “raw cello” coexist so as to transmit the feeling of enjoyment and straightforwardness the music conveys. Technically speaking, the work fuses the luscious, harmonically-dense sound a cello ensemble produces and the syncopated phrasing derived from salsa music, with its characteristic five-beat “clave” pattern relentlessly driving the groove. Rochela (Raw Cello) was commissioned by Andrés Cárdenes for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's Nuance Series. It was premiered in Pittsburgh by the orchestra?s cello section on November 11, 2003.