Zach Cubillas - Midnight: Sky and Dance (PREMIERE: Leonard Tan, NYPSO)

Minuit: Ciel et Danse
Midnight: Sky and Dance
Composer: Zach Cubillas
PREMIERE
24 January 2025; Nanyang Polytechnic, Auditorium
Conductor: Leonard Tan
Performers: Nanyang Polytechnic Symphony Orchestra (NYPSO) ‪@NanyangPolySO‬
This piece was performed by NYPSO as part of their concert programme for Sinfonia 2025: Sound of Music. Truly grateful to Dr Leonard Tan and all the talented musicians of the orchestra for giving my composition its premiere, especially during my sixth and (for now) final Sinfonia!
COMPOSER’S NOTES
Following its successful premiere, I became inspired to continue the story of my first orchestral piece by possibly developing it into a symphony or a suite of orchestral pieces. As of the time of writing this, I don’t have an absolute framework of how it’ll exactly turn out to be… I guess I’ll keep composing and see how things go from there, but if anything, “Minuit: Ciel et Danse” would be the second movement or piece directly after “Nomade dans les montagnes”.
Midnight opens with Sky, a languorous and dreamy nocturne. The clouds drift slowly, gradually revealing the vast heavens above, with a softly glowing moon and stars spilled across. An owl calls, drawing us into a dark forest for a scherzo; it circles around its prey in a lively and rather sinister Dance. Just before the final scare can be delivered, eyes open to the familiar Sky, now revealing a different kind of beauty. The owl attempts its lure again, but a nomad calls it back to their side.
This piece is deeply personal to me. While it can be experienced in the context of the story I’ve written, it may also serve as a reflection of my thoughts and emotions during its composition; a time I would describe as particularly grueling. The nocturne represents a longing for peace and an escape from everything, while the scherzo portrays restlessness and an erratic mind.
“Minuit: Ciel et Danse” is dedicated to “Nomade dans les montagnes” (2023), as well as Leonard Tan, Louis Yeo, Rene Tan, and the Nanyang Polytechnic Symphony Orchestra. This orchestra has been an incredible source of inspiration, and it’s been quite a ride here for the past six years with amazing people and fulfilling experiences. Six years ago, I never could have imagined being where I am today, and I am deeply grateful to NYPSO for shaping who I am.