Hot Spots was commissioned by Duo Del Sol, a married couple committed to expanding the repertoire for the ripe combination of English Horn and Bb Clarinet. Dorff’s inspiration came from the duo’s explanation of their name: “We like vacationing where it’s sunny!” That image and the group’s Spanish name led to a Caribbean influence throughout the work. The movement titles are I. Sunsplash, II. On the Beach, and III. The Bee and the Horseshoe Crab.