When Cuban-born conductor and artistic director of Vancouver Island Symphony Cosette Justo Valdes put together the three-day Cuban Vibes: A Symphonic Festival coming up Feb. 12-14 in Nanaimo, she put her whole heart into it. “It’s been a dream of mine to do such a thing – a festival hosted by a symphony orchestra,” she said. Honorary director of the prestigious Orquesta Sinfonica de Oriente in Santiago, Valdes has curated a world-class festival that includes stage dancers, syncopated rhythms and diverse, Cuban-rooted musical genres, including zarzuela, aka Cuban operetta, along with more serious orchestral repertoire and Latin jazz – which was “basically born in Cuba”. One of her goals is to expand people’s understanding of Cuban music beyond Buena Vista Social Club. “For me, it’s trying to feature and share our culture and more about what we have to offer than what people know about,” she said. The colourful festival follows a huge first season success: earlier in the year, Valdez put on a concert with the orchestra featuring Cuban hits. “The audience took it incredibly, incredibly well – concerts sold out. We got the most amount of emails – people inspired, people saying they felt like they had been in Cuba,” she said. That response gave Valdez, who has remarkable experience doing Cuban music with places like the National Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, the confidence to expand what she was doing in Nanaimo. “Nanaimo’s audience is very sensitive and curious and has accepted to be challenged,” she said. Working with a smaller orchestra and a more modest budget compared to other cities, Valdez was able to bring together guest performers from around the Island – including prominent Victoria-based jazz musicians Miguel Valdes and Phil Dwyer – and five performers from Cuba. Valdes carefully curated all the music for each festival concert – a reportedly not-too-difficult task, as most of the guests are composers who have their own compositions, while also being her previous collaborators and peers. “I’m choosing the music I like the most from them. I’m a fan of these musicians – they are my friends,” she said. “They are very flexible and very kind to let me create this concept.” She also credits CEO Margot Holt for helping to bring such a colourful concert together. But Valdes’ role isn’t just to curate; it’s also to inspire. As conductor, it’s her job to bring people into their very best, but also to create something that will touch the audience. It’s a skill she’s honed since she single-handedly managed and directed an 80-musician ensemble at Orquesta Sinfónica de Oriente. “It is my role to create joy,” she said. She says joy is incredibly important for her to get across in the festival, as it’s one of the things she loves most about Cuban culture. “What I love most is the joy we create despite tragedy,” she said. Valdes highlighted that Cuba is currently facing a severe socio-economic crisis, a moment in history that she describes as “probably the most difficult time when not in war.” Music and culture are one of the antidotes to that collective pain. “Cubans don’t have much, but they create a lot when given the opportunity. “Every Cuban is a musician in a way,” she said. “Every Cuban will be singing to you, playing on a cardboard, or on a table, or some guitar, and you will feel the warmth of our hospitality.” That spirit will be alive and welcoming over Family Day weekend in Nanaimo, starting with A Night in Old Havana (7:15 p.m. Salsa Lessons followed by an 8 p.m. concert) on Thursday, Feb. 12, followed by Waves of Latin Jazz on Feb. 13 and Cuban Heartbeats on Feb. 14, all at The Port Theatre, 125 Front St., Nanaimo. “It’s trying to be an experience – a whole trip – where you really take people to Cuba.” Tickets are $44-$74 and $28.50 for students (prices include taxes and fees), available through porttheatre.com or by calling 250-754-8550. Group rates are available. Learn more at vancouverislandsymphony.com.
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