Its world premiere was given by María Dueñas and the Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Gustavo Dudamel at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on May 14, 2022.
[1][2] Altar de Cuerda has a duration of about 28 minutes and is cast in three movements: The title of the first movement refers to Ortiz's Mexico City background (where "chilango" is a slang term used to denote its residents) and Dueñas's Andalusian background; the composer thus combined elements of Latin American and Mediterranean musical styles.
[1] Reviewing the world premiere, Mark Swed of the Los Angeles Times praised Altar de Cuerda, saying that it begins "in a state of shimmering strings, but is cut through with startlingly sharp percussive attacks and exciting rhythmic action of a city coming to life."
He continued, "The beautiful, bass-heavy central movement, 'Canto Abierto' (Open Song), conjures a mystical atmosphere of early Mexican churches.
"[4] Charlize Althea Garcia of The Poly Post was slightly more critical of the work, however, writing, "Although [Dueñas's] expertism was showcased, the spotlight might have been too overbearing, burying the piece with runs on end.