Cosette Justo Valdés was born and raised in Cuba.  A daughter of amateur musicians, she’s loved music all her life, and she began learning piano and music theory from age 8. At 18 she saw a symphony orchestra for the first time and immediately knew she wanted to be a conductor. She took up conducting in 2003 at the National Institute of the Arts of Cuba, in Havana, and after graduating in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in Orchestral Conducting with Maestro Jorge López Marín, she was appointed Music & Artistic Director of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Oriente (OSO) (Santiago, Cuba), Cuba’s second-most important orchestra.  

During her first three years at the Orquesta Sinfónica de Oriente, Cosette organized and conducted numerous concerts of a broad repertoire of early music, classical, jazz, pop, and traditional Cuban music, which allowed her to start consolidating her foundation as a conductor. 

In 2012, Cosette was admitted to study her Masters Degree with Maestro Klaus Arp in the Mannheim Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst (State University for Music & Performing Arts) in Germany. During her time in Europe she had the opportunity to conduct many orchestral, choral, and chamber ensembles while remaining Music & Artistic Director of the OSO in Cuba and returning often to conduct it. 

Cosette held from January 2019 to March 2022 the position of Assistant Conductor and Community Ambassador of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, in Canada. During her 3 years in this position, she has been able to conduct all types of styles of music with the ESO, and her connection to the musicians of this orchestra is really special. As a result of this wonderful relationship with the ESO Cosette was appointed in March 2022 the Resident Conductor of this marvelous orchestra. 

She has been invited in Canada as a guest conductor by the Edmonton Opera, iMusici de Montréal, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra as well as the Guanajuato Symphony Orchestra in Mexico. This coming season she will be conducting the Saskatooon Symphony Orchestra, Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Island Sympony Orchestra and San Francisco Chamber Orchestra (US).

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Since its debut in 1969, the National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra has been praised for the passion and clarity of its performances, its visionary educational programs, and its prominent role in nurturing Canadian creativity. Under the leadership of Music Director Alexander Shelley, the NAC Orchestra reflects the fabric and values of Canada, reaching and representing the diverse communities we live in with daring programming, powerful storytelling, inspiring artistry, and innovative partnerships.

Alexander Shelley began his tenure as Music Director in 2015, following Pinchas Zukerman’s 16 seasons at the helm. Principal Associate Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and former Chief Conductor of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra (2009–2017), he has been in demand around the world, conducting the Rotterdam Philharmonic, DSO Berlin, Leipzig Gewandhaus, and Stockholm Philharmonic, among others, and maintains a regular relationship with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie and the German National Youth Orchestra.

Each season, the NAC Orchestra features world-class artists such as the newly appointed Artist-in-Residence James Ehnes, Angela Hewitt, Joshua Bell, Xian Zhang, Gabriela Montero, Stewart Goodyear, Jan Lisiecki, and Principal Guest Conductor John Storgårds. As one of the most accessible, inclusive, and collaborative orchestras in the world, the NAC Orchestra uses music as a universal language to communicate the deepest of human emotions and connect people through shared experiences.

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Annick’s love of performing blossomed at a very early age when she would force her family members and her parents’ invited dinner guests to watch her many theatrical productions. She grew up in Ottawa where she began her professional career in the industry 20 years ago. Since then she has loved to work and live in many cities including Montreal, Toronto, Halifax, London (UK) and New York City, where she graduated from the conservatory program at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Annick is passionate about stories and how they connect us - and spreading invisible illness awareness. She feels truly lucky every time she gets to step under the lights at the NAC since it is in this very theatre that she first fell in love with the stage. Annick is currently living in Toronto where she continues to dream and to thrive in her work as a filmmaker, producer & storyteller. 

Born in Arthemisa, Cuba, Mayquel Gonzalez is a Cuban trumpet player, composerand arranger, also professor at the Higher Institute of Arts. Since his early childhood, he felt the call of music. “Its in my blood”, he confesses. Graduated from Havana’s Higher Institute of Art in 2005, he has performed at the bands of most of the greatest contemporaneous Cuban musicians, such as Chucho Valdes (Irakere), Ernan Lopez-Nussa(Havana Report), Harold Lopez-Nussa(Quartet) and Pablo Milanes. With them he has performed at Cubadisco closing Ceremonies and Jazz Plaza Festival (Cuba);at the Marciac Festival (France), Toronto and Montreal Jazz Festivals, EnjoyJazz Festival (Germany) and Barranqui jazz Festival (Colombia), Northy Jazz Festival. Also, in the renowned jazz clubs Ronnie Scottin London and Blue Notein Tokyo. Between 2008 and 2016 he performed at Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba musical shows Vida, Amigas, and Cuba Vibra,in Cuba, Martinique, Qatar, Germany, Holland, China, United States and other countries. Also in 2008took part in the recording and filming of Fernando Trueba’s movie Chico y Rita. In 2009 he performed at Colombian salsa singer Yuri Buenaventura’s concert Season through Europe, America and Africa. In 2022 he became part of the renown Cuban salsa player Isaac Delgado’s band. He was awarded at 2002 JoJazz Festival in Havana, and received the Opera Prima Award at Cubadisco Music Festival, in 2019, for his phonogram Tiempos de paz. He is member of The National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC) and of the Spanish Society of Authors and Publishers (SGAE).

Harold López-Nussa is rapidly building a global following in jazz and beyond. His tight-knit quartet captivates audiences with a relentless vivaciousness that “bridges generations and genres” (Billboard). His music reflects the full range and richness of Cuban music, with its distinctive combination of classical, folkloric and popular elements, as well as its embrace of improvisation. López-Nussa has performed at esteemed venues The Kennedy Center and SFJAZZ Center, as well as some of the best jazz festivals in the world: Newport, North Sea, Monterey, Montréal and Detroit.

Yaroldy Abreu Robles is one of the most prominent percussionists of his generation in Cuba, who has dedicated his career to interpreting latin jazz and afrocuban jazz. He graduated from the Institute Superior of Arts in La Habana, Cuba in 2001. Since then, he has developed a very intense professional career as a member of the experimental percussion group Pi-a-pá, the Cinco Puntos ensemble, Maraca & Otra Visión, Irakere and Chucho Valdés Jazz Quartet and Chucho Valdés & The Afro-Cuban Messengers.

Yaroldy has recorded several albums and toured around the world, participating in the most important jazz festivals. In 1997 he won the first award in the VI National Percussion Competition (in the specialty of Cuban Percussion), during the VIII PerCuba International Festival.

He also performed and recorded on the album New Conceptions, with the Chucho Valdés Jazz Quartet, which won the 2004 Latin Grammy Award in the category of Latin Jazz.

Yaroldy is Professor of Cuban Percussion at the Institute Superior of Arts in La Habana and offers workshops and masterclasses in universities and conservatories around the world.

He has performed and recorded with Winton Marsalis, Monique Seka, and others.

Professional dancer, Latin dance instructor, Entertainer & DJ. Orlando is an authentic showman, possessing an unmatched energy and a magical way of connecting with his audience. Orlando was born and raised in Santiago de Cuba. He turned his passion for dancing into his chosen career path when he moved to Havana after graduation. Orlando has over 20 years of experience teaching dance and organizing different events in Canada. He has organized dance trips to Cuba and many local parties, where he always brings the fun with high-energy entertainment. Orlando is a synonym of joy, energy, and good vibes, always giving his best to those around him. Fun and learning are guaranteed!

Born in Guanabacoa, Havana City, he comes from a family of artists. He started playing piano when he was only four years old and through his father, who was a double bass player, he graduated Suma Cum Laude from the Havana's Higher Institute of Art (ISA) (2005).

That very same year he started working as a double bass player at the Philharmonic Orchestra of Havana's Great Theater, where he learned the entire repertoire of Ballet and Opera, he accompanied functions of Cuba's National Ballet, led by Alicia Alonso and different Opera companies. At the same time, Gaston began to be recognized in the local jazz, Cuban, and alternative music scene.

In 2006, being 19 years old, he entered the international contest for young jazz musicians, presided by Chucho Valdes, where Gaston won the first place in the category of interpretation. He was the first double bass player receiving that award since the creation of the event. Thanks to that he had the opportunity to record his first album, with Calibri Label, "Gaston Joya" Phonogram, which had the following awards: best jazz album, recording and mastering, and best debut album at the international contest Cubadisco

In 2011, he received the call from the master Chucho Valdes to be part of his Afrocuban Messengers band, along which they recorded the Border Free album, nominated for a Grammy Award in 2013. After that work, Gaston started a close musical relationship, touring worldwide, getting to know and experimenting a fundamental part of Cuban jazz history. In 2016, Chucho invited him to be a member of a homage to the emblematic lrakere band. After a long tour, they made a live album with which they won the Grammy in 2017.

Gaston Joya received the Order for Cuba's National Culture (2017) with other musicians and cultural promoters, for "the excellence of their artistic results and their consequent commitment to the most endearing values of Cuban culture as an expression of our national identity0 With just 31 years old, he not only received this honorable mention in his country, he is considered a virtuoso of the bass, and the successor of Cachao, one of Cuban musical legends of all times, who was his maestro.

Gaston has recorded and been a member of groups led by luminaries of traditional Cuban music and jazz, such as: ,
Chucho Valdes and his Afrocuban Messengers ( they obtained a Grammy nomination with the Border Free album and won in the Latin Jazz category with the album Tribute to lrakere), Omara Portuondo and Eman Lopez... Nussa. He has shared on stage and/or recorded with artists such as: Leo Brower, Joe Lovano, Buena Vista Social Club, Eliades Ochoa, Sintesis, Silvio Rodriguez, Pablo Milanes, Joio Donato, Mark Levine, Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Orchestra, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Alfredo Rodriguez, Calle 13, Dayme Arocena, Brussels Philharmonic, Cuba's National Symphonic Orchestra, Sting, among others.

In 2010 he was contacted by the Montuno agency, which represents artists such as Buena Vista Social Club, Jack DeJohnette, among others, to work along the Cuban Music Legend Omara Portuondo, both in recordings and tours around the world. Until today, they still collaborating together.

Laurie began her stage management career with English Theatre and Jean Roberts’ company at the National Arts Centre. Since then she has been honoured to work with NAC English Theatre,  NAC Indigenous Theatre, the National Arts Centre Orchestra and NAC Presents. Laurie has been Production Stage Manager for the Shaw Festival and Theatre Calgary and Stage Manager for, amongst others, Arts Club Theatre Company, The Globe Theatre, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Mirvish Productions, Stratford Festival, Great Canadian Theatre Company, Grand Theatre, Theatre New Brunswick and Neptune Theatre.