On the eve of his departure, I was performing the world’s first piano solo adaptation of the symphony we composed together with Lalo Schifrin at the Teatro Colón – a performance held during an international event marking 200 years of diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Argentina – unaware that it would become our final musical farewell.
As my hands touched the keys, I was transported back to those quiet afternoons and late evenings in Los Angeles – where Lalo and I sat side by side, surrounded by scores, coffee cups, and shared dreams.
This intimate piano interpretation revealed what words never could: the spirit we poured into each page, and the deep bond we forged while writing a symphonic work for 100 musicians.
From the podium, I paused to speak to the audience – not only to introduce the music, but to speak of the man behind it: a genius, a mentor, a friend – and to reflect on the incredible time we spent working together as co-authors.
When I first met Lalo, he shared with me his ambition — not only to write a major symphonic work dedicated to our homeland, but to shape what he called “the classical music of the future.”
With that goal in mind, we began blending our musical languages – drawing on techniques he had studied in Paris and combining them with elements from both classical and cinematic traditions.
Along the way, we watched every film he had scored, listened to all his music, and he shared story after story from a lifetime devoted to art. The result was Viva la Libertad ("Long Live Freedom"): a grand, 40-minute symphony for 100 musicians on stage.
Lalo generously passed on to me the compositional techniques and harmonic secrets he had learned from his mentors: Olivier Messiaen at the Paris Conservatory, “Dizzy” (Gillespie), and Juan Carlos Paz. But above all, he taught me about life itself: about dreaming boldly, and about daring to achieve what others call impossible. “Mission: possible” – he used to quip with a smile. He constantly urged me: “Let's invent the future.”
Every day, we met at his studio, and he would welcome me with new notes scribbled on sheet music – and many times, our melodies would magically align, as if they were a continuation of each other.
The Viva la Libertad symphony meant everything to Lalo. We worked on it daily, and it was the heart of our time together. His vision for the piece began with a heartfelt wish: to premiere it in his beloved Buenos Aires – an unforgettable moment we shared together.
His final wish was to hear it performed in Paris and Los Angeles – the cities that shaped his musical life – and in the world’s great cultural capitals.
Together with his family, I will carry this mission forward, ensuring his final symphony continues its journey to the global stages he dreamed of, honouring a towering musical figure who never ceased to innovate, even in this final masterpiece we created side by side.
In one of our last interviews, he said he hoped this would be “the first of many works we would compose together.” We were already envisioning the next piece we’d bring to life...
I remember Lalo’s first proposal: “Let’s become co-authors and partners.” But after all the time we spent together composing the symphony, he said to me: “We’ve formed a little family.”
And that’s exactly what it felt like.
There’s one phrase I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life:
"Yes, why not?" — he would say, with that spark in his eyes that made everything feel possible.
I will miss him deeply.
— Maestro Rod Schejtman
Co-Author, along with Lalo Schifrin, of the symphony Viva la Libertad (Long Live Freedom)
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