Danzón Cubano was composed in the fall of 1942, as a birthday piece to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the League of Composers. In its original form for two pianos, it was first played by Leonard Bernstein and Aaron Copland at a Town Hall testimonial concert – “Salute to the League of Composers” – in December, 1942. This band transription, by R. Mark Rogers, was given its world premiere on April 26, 1979, by the Texas Tech University Concert Band, Dean Killion conducting.