Luis Haza

Maestro Luis Haza is known around the world for his skill as an orchestral conductor and violinist. Concurrently with his 36-year tenure as a performer and conductor with the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), he also spent 25 years with the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, where he now serves as Music Director Emeritus, and 10 years as Director of the Virginia Chamber Orchestra’s premier ensemble. The recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Recording Academy’s 2002 Heroes Award, Luis Haza presently acts as Director and Conductor of the Coastal Youth Symphony of Georgia.

Throughout his career, Luis Haza has remained committed to advancing the arts, particularly music, around the world. As an educator, he has been actively involved in teaching and coaching talented violin students. In this capacity, he served as a faculty member for the NSO’s Youth Fellowship Program and presented master classes and workshops across the country on behalf of the NSO’s American Residencies program. Luis Haza also actively supports arts and music programs in the public education system, often serving as a judge for regional, state, and national orchestral competitions. He has also taken part in numerous international orchestral events.

A staunch advocate of democracy and human rights, Luis Haza functions as a spokesperson for the liberation of Cuba, his native country. As such, his interviews, performances, and achievements have been broadcast on global platforms, including Univision, La Voz de El Cid, and Voice of America Europe, among others. He has also directed events at such renowned venues as the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall, including the 1996 gala benefit for the Valladares Foundation, a human rights organization honoring the Cuban poet-activist Armando Valladares, and the 2002 concert The Spirit of Freedom, in honor of the heroes and victims of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.