Cosette Justo Valdés will make her guest conducting debut with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra on March 6 and 7, 2027 to lead concerts featuring works by Hector Berlioz, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and Claude Debussy.

Cuban-born Valdés has emerged as a rising star on the world concert stage. Beloved as a musician (piano) who wins the respect of her colleagues and the hearts of audiences, she currently serves as the Artistic and Music Director of the Vancouver Island Symphony, where through her daring, innovative programming she has quickly ignited new passion in her audiences, inspiring them to engage personally not only with living, contemporary music but also with rarely heard historical works. She also maintains strong ties to her native Cuba, where she is celebrated as the Honorary Director of the prestigious Orquesta Sinfónica de Oriente in Santiago, in Cuba's musical heartland, an orchestra she led as Music Director for nine years early in her professional life.

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra concerts will include performances of Berlioz’s “Symphonie fantastique”, a groundbreaking work that vividly tells a story of passion, obsession, and imagination. Known for its bold orchestration and innovative structure, the piece unfolds like a dramatic narrative, drawing listeners into its shifting emotional landscapes. The concerts also include selections from Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” and Debussy’s iconic “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun”.

Performances take place Saturday, March 6, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 7, at 2:30 p.m., at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. Tickets start at $20. Visit ElginSymphony.org for more information.