Concerto "Andino" by Mauricio Annunziata: A New Work for Double Bass Inspired by Andean Music

ABSTRACT This project includes a research paper, a professional recording, and a musical score. Mauricio Annuziata, a well-known Argentine composer, dedicated his Concerto No. 5 to me, Nathaniel De La Cruz, and it is inspired by Andean Folklore music from South America. He composed this concerto in December of 2020, and it has original themes closely related to Andean music. The author recorded this concerto in a professional audio and video recording made in Katzin concert hall in the ASU music building on September 30, 2021, with my wife Rosa LoGiudice De La Cruz on the piano. This concerto was conceptualized as one large movement divided into three smaller movements. An unusual combination of melodies conveys the nature of traditional musical practices characteristic of South America. This is the first concerto for double bass inspired by Andean folk music. In researching for this document, I studied manuscripts of Andean folk music compiled by ethnomusicologists to explore the connection between the pentatonic scale and traditional musical practices. These connections are discussed in detail in a chapter of the form of the concerto, including representations of traditional folkloric dances from different countries of South America. In this document I also discuss the process of working with the composer, rehearsing, and incorporating the necessary revisions to make the music effective and idiomatic for the double bass. This new work will offer the double bass world a new perspective for solo repertoire, as it is accessible for intermediate (check this) and professional levels. The process of collaborating with a composer of such caliber as Mauricio Annunziata is a rewarding experience for me not only as a student, but as a performer where I found different challenges to explore new music practices and techniques.