If Gabriela Ortiz could describe her cello concerto in one word, it would be “tailor- made.” Dzonot, named after the underwater caves and rivers of the Yucatán Peninsula, was written specifically with Alisa Weilerstein, Gustavo Dudamel, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in mind.

Ahead of the piece’s world premiere at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Ortiz and Weilerstein sat down over a cup of coffee to chat about the story behind the music, reflect on rehearsals, and make a toast to 21st-century cello concerto repertoire.