Commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the newest orchestral work by composer Ricardo Lorenz, Humboldt’s Nature, will premiere at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles on February 12, 2026. Lorenz, a Michigan State University College of Music professor of composition, is excited to make his second premiere under the direction of famed conductor Gustavo Dudamel, and his preparation includes continued research.

Lorenz’s relationship with the LA Philharmonic began when he was commissioned through the Pan-American Music Initiative. Todo Terreno premiered in 2022, and Dudamel and Lorenz, both raised in Venezuela, could relate to the themes of the piece.

In fact, Dudamel enjoyed performing the piece in Los Angeles so much, that he added it to a second performance that same week and took it on tour in Europe where it was performed in several major concert halls. With this new commission, the feeling and the challenge for Lorenz are different.