Join the MIFA Victory Players for an unforgettable evening of multifaceted music and dialogue exploring the legacy of the Caribbean. Located at De La Luz Soundstage in a cabaret-like setting, this intimate LIVE performance will include world premieres of original works and articulation by composers Odaline de la Martinez, Sonia Morales, and Luis Quintana. Performed by the 2025 Victory Players ensemble: Nathan Ben-Yehuda (Piano), Linda Hwang (Cello), Giovanni A. Pérez (Flute), Robert Rocheteau (Percussion), Eric Schultz (Clarinet), and Samuel Vargas (Violin) with Tianhui Ng, Music Director.
“Memorias” is based on my memories of Cuba as a young child and is in three movements: Prologo, inspired by Afro-Cuban drums, Atardecer (en Varadero), Sunset in Varadero, walks on a beautiful Cuban beach, and Carnaval and its excitement with lots of dancing and singing. – Odaline de la Martinez, composer
“Divertimento Caribeño No. 7.” will use rhythmic and melodic patterns derived from Puerto Rican and Caribbean culture. It will draw upon my experience as a folk and popular music performer while experimenting with the ensemble’s sound to create a unique musical experience.” – Sonia Ivette Morales-Matos, composer
“Midnight Rumba” depicts a surreal tropical nightscape, where organic voices, percussive textures, and dance-driven grooves swirl together in a shared atmosphere – Luis Quintana, composer
“Five Suns” A work-in-progress: Leyendas is the retelling of several classic Aztec myths. “Myth of Five Suns” tells of how the world has been created and destroyed four times already, with our current world existing under the light of the Fifth Sun—at least, until the gods decide to destroy it again. – J. Andrés Ballesteros, composer
“1964” I was born in São Paulo, Brazil, during the military dictatorship. This piece revisits a pivotal moment in Brazilian history, the famous speech by Jânio Quadros, then democratically elected President of Brazil, who decided to renounce the presidency in a power-grabbing gamble that did not pay off. – Felipe Salles, composer
