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CUBAN HEARTBEATS

FEBRUARY 14, 2026 | 7:30 PM

BUY TICKETS

CONCERT TICKETS SOLD EXCLUSIVELY
BY THE PORT THEATRE.

Beverages served prior to concert and during intermission. You can pre-order your beverage before the concert.


Mobile phones are allowed to be on but must be set to silent.


We welcome you to clap when you like what you hear.

PEFORMANCE SPONSOR

A thrilling evening filled with the rhythm, passion and joy of Cuban music! Join Artistic Director Cosette Justo Valdés and her amazing guests for an evening of virtuosity and fun! Romantic arias from Cuban operettas, Cuban jazz standards and more will make this evening the perfect way to spend Valentine’s Day!

CONDUCTOR: Cosette Justo Valdés
GUEST ARTISTS:
Harold López-Nussa, piano
Ruy López-Nussa, drums
Lino Piquero Bueno,  double bass
Roberto Vizcaino Jr., Cuban percussion
Miguel Valdés, trumpet, Cuban percussion
Miguel de Armas, piano
Mayquel González, trumpet
Phil Dwyer, saxophones
Sarah Caulfield, soprano

FEBRUARY 12 – 14, 2026

FEB 12: Opening Night: A Night in Old Havana
FEB 13: Waves of Latin Jazz
FEB 14: Cuban Heartbeats
FEB 14: Cuba in Her Carry-on (Family Show)

FESTIVAL DETAILS AND TICKET INFO HERE

CUBAN HEARTBEATS

FEBRUARY 14, 2026 | 7:30 PM

BUY TICKETS

CONCERT TICKETS SOLD EXCLUSIVELY
BY THE PORT THEATRE.

A thrilling evening filled with the rhythm, passion and joy of Cuban music! Join Artistic Director Cosette Justo Valdés and her amazing guests for an evening of virtuosity and fun! Romantic arias from Cuban operettas, Cuban jazz standards and more will make this evening the perfect way to spend Valentine’s Day!

CONDUCTOR: Cosette Justo Valdés
GUEST ARTISTS:
Harold López-Nussa, piano
Ruy López-Nussa, drums
Lino Piquero Bueno,  double bass
Roberto Vizcaino Jr., Cuban percussion
Miguel Valdés, trumpet, Cuban percussion
Miguel de Armas, piano
Mayquel González, trumpet
Phil Dwyer, saxophones
Sarah Caulfield, soprano

FEBRUARY 12 – 14, 2026

FEB 12: Opening Night: A Night in Old Havana
FEB 13: Waves of Latin Jazz
FEB 14: Cuban Heartbeats
FEB 14: Cuba in Her Carry-On (Family Show)

FESTIVAL DETAILS AND TICKET INFO HERE

What to wear? Be comfortable. Dress in a way that works for you. If you feel like dressing up, do it and you won’t be the only one, we promise. If you prefer to be more casual you will fit right in as well.

Beverages served prior to concert and during intermission. You can pre-order your beverage before the concert.


Mobile phones are allowed to be on but must be set to silent.


We welcome you to clap when you like what you hear.

PEFORMANCE SPONSOR

Send Every Grade 4 Student to a VIS Concert
Help transform young lives through the power of music

Your donation can be the catalyst for transforming lives through the power of music.
Help us send every Grade 4 student to a VIS concert designed specifically for them.
The VIS Music Education program builds music appreciation and participation in
over 2,500 nine and  ten year old children each year.
Let’s welcome the symphony audiences of the future together!

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Harold López-Nussa
Piano

Pianist and composer Harold López-Nussa has been steadily building a global following in jazz and beyond over the past two decades since winning the prestigious Montreux Jazz Piano Competition in 2005. López-Nussa has released acclaimed albums and captivated audiences around the world with his thrilling performances at esteemed venues and jazz festivals.

Born into a musical family in Havana, Cuba, his music reflects the full range and richness of the Cuban musical tradition with its distinctive combination of folkloric, popular, and classical elements as well as its embrace of improvisation. With his Blue Note Records debut, Timba a la Americana, López-Nussa reaches a career milestone with a vibrant album teeming with joy and pathos that was inspired by the pianist’s recent decision to leave his Cuban homeland and begin a new life in France. Produced by Michael League (Snarky Puppy), Timba a la Americana presents 10 dynamic new compositions and features the harmonica virtuoso Grégoire Maret, Luques Curtis on bass, Bárbaro “Machito” Crespo on congas, and Harold’s brother Ruy Adrián López-Nussa on drums.

Ruy López-Nussa
Drums

Ruy Adrian López Nussawas born on August 30th, 1986 in Havana City. He studied piano and percussion, and in 2009 graduated from ISA (Higher Art Institute) in percussion.

He has performed not only in the main stages in Cuba but also the most important Jazz Clubs around the world, including the Montreal Jazz Festival, Marciac Jazz Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, and Jazz in Orleans.

He has also been performing for the last 15 years with the virtuous Cuban piano player, Aldo Lopez Gavilan in amazing stages concerts during the season of the Royal Ballet of London at Lincoln Center of NYC. In 2010, he composed with Harold Lopez Nussa the music of El Camino de las Gaviotas, a cartoon produced by Cuba and Brazil. In 2011, he also composed with Harold Lopez Nussa the music of

In 2020, he released his first CD-DVD as a single composer, Dos Lenguajes. Lopez-Nussa won the Cuba Disco Prize for Best First Work, 2020-2021 and in 2021 the IV ‘Tete Montoliu’ Jazz Composition Contest with his work ‘A Lyle’, an ode to American jazz pianist and composer Lyle Mays.

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Lino Piquero Bueno
Double Bass

Lino Piquero Bueno is a professional musician hailing from Havana, Cuba. Playing Double Bass and Bass Guitar, Lino began his music education at the Alejandro García Caturla Conservatory of Havana at only 9 years of age and went on to graduate from the National School of Arts (known as The ENA). His professional career includes working with luminaries such as: Alain Pérez, Issac Delgado,Néstor Torres ,Etienne Charles,Habana d’ Primera, Omara Portuondo, and Buena Vista Social Club, among others. He is also a member of the Musical Theater of Europe and was part of the orchestra of the stage musical Carmen La Cubana and the Ballet Revolution. Now residing in Miami, Lino is the bassist of the Akokán Orchestra of New York, as well as rapper’s Telmary band, and founder of “Trio Más” with Andy García and Otto Santana.

Roberto Vizcaino Jr.
Cuban Percussion

Roberto Jr. Vizcaino represents a new generation of Cuban percussionists who preserves and respects the traditions of his culture and recreates those traditions in modern and classic ways.

He was born into a musical family and community, including his father, Roberto Vizcaino, Chucho Valdez, Giovanni Hidalgo, Karl Perazzo, Horacio El negro Hernandez, Luis Conte, Arturo Sandoval, Richard Bona, Cory Henry, Paquito d’ Rivera, Michel Camilo, Joe Lovano and Gonzalo Rubalcaba.

He has played in the main festivals and stages of the world including the North Sea Jazz-Hollanda, Montreux Jazz Festival, Womadelaide-New Zealand, Nice Jazz Festival-France, Montreal Jazz Festival, and Hollywood Bowl-California

Nominated for the 2018 Grammy and the 2019 Bilboard Awards, and winner of the Latin Grammy Awards 2023 with Chucho Valdés, Paquito D’ Rivera and Reunion sextet, he is currently a member of the Royal Quartet of Chucho Valdés with Horacio “el negro” Hernández and José Armando Gola.

Miguelito (Miguel) Valdés
Trumpet, Cuban Percussion

Described as one of Cuba’s most highly regarded trumpet players of his generation, Miguelito Valdes carries a rich history performing with many of Cuba’s top performers, including the Cabaret Tropicana Orquesta, Pablo Milanes, Isaac Delgado, Mayito Rivera, Klimax, Chucho Valdes, and has participated in award-winning recordings such as “La Rumba Soy Yo”, which won a Latin Grammy in 2001.

In 2000, he began playing with Omara Portuondo (Diva singer of Buena Vista Social Club), with whom he travelled around the world for 6 years. He has also played with important jazz musicians abroad, including Michael Brecker, Herbie Hancock, John Patitucci, Danilo Perez, Wayne Shorter, and many others. He was part of the recording of Rhythms del mundo along with Cold Play, Sting, U2, and Maroon 5 to mention a few.

Miguelito was part of the renowned orchestra Afro Cuban All Stars from 2009 until he joined the Canadian forces as part of the Naden Band in 2012. Since making Victoria, BC his home, he has become very involved in the local music scene with his new 8-piece Orchestra Obatala.

Miguel de Armas
Piano

Renowned Cuban-born pianist, composer, and arranger, Miguel de Armas, has been a dynamic force in the Canadian music scene since making Ottawa his home in 2012. With an illustrious career spanning over 35 years, he has recorded more than 60 albums and collaborated with world-class artists across jazz, Latin, and world music. His signature style seamlessly blends Afro-Cuban rhythms with contemporary jazz, showcasing both tradition and innovation in every performance. As a co-founder of the legendary NG La Banda and a former member of Manolito Simonet y su Trabuco, Miguel has graced prestigious international stages, including the North Sea, Montreux, and Río de Janeiro Jazz Festivals.

In Canada, he has captivated audiences at the Ottawa Jazz Festival, the National Arts Centre, and other major venues. Leading both the Miguel de Armas Quartet and the Ottawa Latin Jazz Orchestra, he continues to push the boundaries of jazz and Afro-Cuban fusion with electrifying performances and dynamic compositions.

Mayquel González
Trumpet

Mayquel González is widely recognized as one of the most outstanding Cuban trumpeters of his generation. With over two decades of experience, he has built a reputation as a jazz virtuoso and master improviser, blending jazz with elements of Cuban popular and folk traditions.

His talent and versatility have led him to perform with some of the genre’s most iconic bands and under the direction of legends such as Chucho Valdés, Ernán López-Nussa, and Harold López-Nussa. He has captivated audiences at world-renowned festivals like the North Sea Jazz Festival and has performed at prestigious venues including the Blue Note (New York and Tokyo) and the Salle Pleyel in Paris.

His collaborations span a wide range of celebrated artists, such as Buena Vista Social Club, Pablo Milanés, Joao Donato, John Cleary, and Isaac Delgado. He contributed as a soloist to the acclaimed animated film Chico y Rita, directed by Fernando Trueba, and has collaborated with the Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba Company and the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada.

In 2019, Mayquel released his debut album Tiempos de Paz, which won a Cubadisco Award and marked the formation of his own quartet. His latest project, Cháchara, is an instrumental dialogue between Mayquel and top artists from the Cuban and international music scenes.

Phil Dwyer
Saxophone

On December 13, 2013 Phil Dwyer was appointed as Member of the Order of Canada. He was cited for his “contributions to jazz as a performer, composer, and producer, and for increasing access to music education in his community.” In January 2015, he was recognized by the Royal Conservatory of Music as an Honorary Fellow.

Phil lived in Toronto from 1988 to 2004 and as a ‘first call’ studio musician, became one of the most recorded musicians in the country. He has appeared on eleven Juno Award-winning recordings, countless CBC radio and television shows, and has performed at some of the most prestigious venues and festivals in over 30 countries on four continents. He is also a well-respected composer and arranger for a variety of ensembles soloists in jazz, classical, and pop music.

Phil has been a guest lecturer at universities and music conservatories around the world and, with his wife Theresa, founded and operated the Phil Dwyer Academy of Musical and Culinary Arts for many years, bringing world-class talent to the community from across North America. A fourth-generation Vancouver Islander, Phil is a practicing lawyer In Qualicum Beach, where he was raised and returned to with his family in 2004.

Sarah Caulfield
Soprano

Hailing from Chilliwack, Sarah Caulfield has been lauded by Opera Canada as “a singer to watch … her voice was brilliant and full, with floating high notes and effortless coloratura.” A recent M.Mus graduate from the University of British Columbia, her performances included the title role of Rusalka, Frau Fluth (Die Lustigen Weiber von Windsor,) Donna Anna (Don Giovanni,) Corinna (Il viaggio a Reims,) Giulietta (Les contes d’Hoffmann,) Casilda (The Gondoliers,) Aunt Norris (Mansfield Park,) and the Madame in Shadow Catch, a Noh-inspired chamber opera set in Vancouver’s Oppenheimer Park. Since graduating, she debuted as Fiordiligi at the Krušnohorské Theatre in Teplice, Czechia, and covered the role of Lauretta in Opera Kelowna’s Gianni Schicchi. In 2025, she was selected to attend the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance as part of the Rossini Opera Festival.

Having a passion for chamber and concert repertoire, Sarah has appeared as a soloist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (Traditional Christmas tour,) Richmond Orchestra (Fauré Requiem,) Bach on the Rock (Handel Messiah,) and the UBC Early Music Ensemble. She has also enjoyed work as a choral soloist and private music instructor. At present, she’s grateful to reside on Treaty 6 territory (Edmonton, Alberta).