Aldemaro Romero, Venezuelan composer and pianist, has made a name for himself as one of the founders of the onda nueva or “new wave” style, which leans on Brazilian and Venezuelan dance standards to create a unique listening experience. He began his musical studies alongside his father at an early age and found inspiration in his metropolitan upbringing in Caracas, Venezuela. His album, Dinner in Caracas, became a sensational hit and launched him to fame, leading to collaborations with stars including Dean Martin, Stan Kenton, René Touzent, and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Romero says of his Suite Para Cuerdas, "The suite for strings is a compendium of rural and urban music from Venezuela, represented by compositions of academic discipline that point towards the preservation of the typical . It is the reaffirmation that all music, no matter its style and category, comes from popular music." 

The opening movement of this work, Fuga con Pajarillo, or The Fugue of the Little Bird is widely considered one of Romero’s most popular works, and is often performed as a standalone piece. Notable Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel says of this work:

“A pajarillo is a typical Venezuelan dance – perhaps the most famous one, alongside the joropo. It’s like a waltz, but with the accent on the weak beat – not ‘one two three, one two three,’ but ‘one two three, one two three. It’s not a comfortable dance! The piece is a pajarillo, but in combination with a complex fugue [a form of musical imitation, like a round]. The pajarillo pervading the melody and rhythm gives a sense of improvisation and contrasts with the predetermined fugal form. This is what makes this piece so fascinating.”