Gustavo Dudamel

World-famous conductor Gustavo Dudamel, “the lightning

conductor”, can turn a solid old symphony into “molten lava.” Today,

he plans to recreate the successful youth orchestra program for street

youth that helped him.

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When it comes to classical music, Gustavo Dudamel is a total rock star. At age thirty, he
was (by far) the youngest conductor of a major orchestra anywhere in the world. With his
wild hair, all-consuming passion, and lively sense of humor, he is also one of the most
popular.
Gustavo was a musical genius as a child, and began winning international conducting
prizes when he was barely out of high school. But what has always been extraordinary
about Gustavo Dudamel is not only his talent, but the way he has chosen to use that gift
to improve the world.
As of this writing, as well as being in his twelfth year as music director of the Venezuelan
Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra, Dudamel is also in his second season as music director
of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. With his global reputation, he could have
chosen to work with any orchestra in the world, but he chose the Los Angeles
Philharmonic: and he did it for a very specific reason.
Dudamel, who came from a musical family in Venezuela, had his talent recognized and
supported by “El Sistema” (The System) - a revolutionary music-training program in his
home country that introduces poor kids, some of them street kids, to the discipline and
self-esteem of great musicianship. Recognizing how The System changed his life,