It's an orchestra he's directed for 14 years, since he was just 17 years old. Pianist Emanuel Ax, who performed the world premiere of Andrew Norman’s "Release" with Gustavo in May of 2014, sees in him not only a passionate advocate of new music, but also an ambassador for the future. ", "I know that tomorrow I have a rehearsal. Gustavo Dudamel, famous, handsome and rich, lives as if he wants to disprove Rousseau’s famous maxim on happiness. We have to give our children the chance to create and to have access to art, because art is existential. "They were very open with me, which is important. And for them he would do anything. Even in a country where it is normal to nurture young talent, Gustavo’s gift was recognized as exceptional–enough so to earn him lessons with El Sistema founder and director José Antonio Abreu, and not long afterwards, the attention of top international conductors Sir Simon Rattle and Claudio Abbado. Five months later he was given the assistant conductor post in Barquisimeto; by the following year, he had his own chamber orchestra. I would put them into orchestral positions, and then I would put on some music, and I would always be the conductor. Strauss and Mahler’s music was new in its day, and without a cultural willingness to play midwife to new works, we would have no musical heritage today. "He grew up knowing that you can use music as a means to the end of communicating better life perspectives to people. You listen, and you can feel it. 5 (2007) and Fiesta (2008), a compilation of Latin American works with the SBYOV. Christoph Koncz, principal second violin of the Vienna Philharmonic and himself a conductor, is equally fascinated by Gustavo’s feats of memory. It’s incomprehensible, incredible. The album, titled Dudamel: Celebrating John Williams, is a live recording of a tribute concert to the legendary composer at the Walt Disney Concert Hall that took place earlier this year. Pianist Emanuel Ax also speaks of Gustavo’s ability to react within an instant. Recalling an early career debut with the Philharmonia Orchestra in Bonn, he describes a situation of mutual exchange that has remained a constant in his working life. Venezuelan classical composer who became the music director for the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2009. Orchestral musicians speak of Gustavo Dudamel’s ability to communicate joy, and his unique capacity to create a sense of collaboration. "I think it is one of the downsides to being considered to be a Wunderkind. In 2007 Dudamel received the Premio de la Latinidad, given by the UnÃon Latina for contributions to culture, and in 2006 he was awarded the Pegasus Prize from the Festival of Two Worlds, in Spoleto, Italy. What was it Rousseau said? "I gave him scores, and he kept them all on the second bed in the guest room. That’s a very, very important impulse for every country. He is currently the principal conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony in Gothenburg, Sweden, and music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in Los Angeles, California. But then I came to meet him, and I was like, wow! "We have to give our children the chance to be creative and to access art, because art is important. Gustavo Dudamel on IMDb: Movies, Tv, Celebrities, and more... Miley Cyrus finally admitted she needs help. It’s just a map. He is an incredible example of the fact that music education as a means of social development can work wonderfully. We cannot stand back and do nothing. At the age of 15, he found himself on the podium of the nation’s flagship Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela (now the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela), of which he remains chief conductor. That’s actually a very difficult exercise; everybody is welcome to try this!". He has not forgotten where he came from; on the contrary. Today, Gustavo and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela are in annual demand on the world’s leading stages. Gustavo Dudamel, one of world’s best-known conductors, to bring LA Phil to Seattle . Gustavo Adolfo Dudamel Ramírez (born January 26, 1981) is a Venezuelan conductor and violinist. A tireless champion of new music, Gustavo Dudamel has presided over countless world premieres, worked closely with composers, and written his own scores. "They hold these traditions. In Japan, in China, in South America and in Europe, bad free time is an issue for our children. Thomas Clamor, artistic director of the German Brass Academy, emphasizes the fact that in addition to his natural musicianship, Gustavo is an extremely hard worker. Gustavo Dudamel began with hopes to play trombone like his father, but while he waited to grow into the cumbersome instrument, he was given a child-sized violin, and found a … "Wherever in the world Gustavo is, in Germany or the US, South America or Scandinavia, whether he is with children, amateurs or professionals, he has a unique humanity, and he can pass on musical information which can be understood by everybody, regardless of the culture that they come from. In 2004 Dudamel won the first Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition, sponsored by the Bamberger (Germany) Symphony, which brought him to the attention of such leading conductors as Claudio Abbado and Simon Rattle, who served as coaches and mentors. Profession: Actor, Conductor, Artist Known For: Philharmonic Orchestra Debut TV Series/Movie: Libertador Salary: Under Review Net Worth: USD $8 Million approx Family & Relatives. "It’s a kind of social chaos. He was conducting Rossini, Charpentier, and the national anthem. He is famous for being a Composer. In Sweden, where he was principal conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra for half a decade, he oversaw the founding of an El Sistema initiative on the outskirts of Gothenburg in Hammarkullen; he has supported the Glasgow-based Big Noise, a Scottish El Sistema project; and has appeared with the latter in both Scotland and in Venezuela. "Many people have grown up in this system and made something of their lives. And Gustavo has worked in so many different cities, with so many different orchestras, that he has been able to understand again and again how possible it is to really achieve something in social terms.". Dudamel’s first concert as LA Phil music director– ¡Bienvenido Gustavo!, a free performance of Beethoven’s 9th at the Hollywood Bowl–was astonishing. He likes to have his family near him, his grandmother, too, I know that; but also his friends.". I just thought, ‘I can do this.’ And it was funny, because my friends were there, playing. The subject is John Adams’s "The Gospel According to the Other Mary", a major new work for composer, orchestra and conductor alike. "I hadn’t studied. And you learn that, and you take it with you.". A tireless champion of new music, Gustavo Dudamel has presided over countless world premieres, worked closely with composers, and written his own scores. He was born on January 26, 1981 in Venezuela. He just IS music!’, "He has an instinctive understanding of singers and singing, which is not common with conductors. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Gustavo Dudamel during a press conferece on Sept. 30, 2009 in LA, around the time he was named the music director of the LA Philharmonic. Dudamel once said of the program, “Music saved my life and has saved the lives of thousands of at-risk children in Venezuela.” In Los Angeles, Dudamel was an early champion of the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, which was based on El Sistema, and one of the first big donors was guess who. He demands that you soar, but makes it feel as if you’re part of the family. "We have to make the world a better place for our children. And when he’s together with them, they’re like family, and it does him good, I believe. "I do what I can through music, because it’s what I do, and it’s what I understand. It’s a complete mystery to me how anybody can do that. "He approaches everything with such reverence that he makes it part of his vernacular.". 4 won a Grammy Award for best orchestral performance. His first season was a honeymoon and Season 2 brought a … "They share the same past. "Working together was beautiful. Concerts and orchestras fascinated him; by the time he was 10 years old, Gustavo was reading scores the way other children read novels. I’ve seen (and I own) the 60 Minutes show on Gustavo. He’s an athlete and a poet. Through all of that, his commitment to social change through music remains central. When children play, it is in a timeless universe. But then he’s also got something that just seems to make everybody happy. Almost four decades down the line, some half a million children, most of them from communities living below the poverty line, have grown up in the orchestras of El Sistema. Celebrating the Pope's 80th birthday. We need to feel things together; it is the situation of a group. He has a wonderful, entirely human way to communicate about music, and to ensure that people find joy in making music. Photo courtesy of the composer. "Because he is an instinctive kind of musician, it’s much easier for him not to have to lock his intellect into looking at paper with dots on it, because that’s only the map - it’s not the reality. Fresh from a concert with Gustavo Dudamel in Los Angeles, pianist Emanuel Ax is euphoric. "He grew up in this system, which is a socio-cultural project that is 39 years old," says Clamor. In his five years at the helm of the LA Philharmonic, Gustavo has seen his orchestra give world premieres to almost 60 new works, 20 of which he has conducted himself. In 2006 he was named principal conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony, the national orchestra of Sweden; he became music director the following year. And very happy to make music. It is something that everybody needs. "I have just been to hear the youngest orchestra - 90 children playing with their parents, dreaming with their music. But as a protege of José Antonio Abreu, he also knows how to build towards a future vision. "Many. "He has an incredible technique, but there is always a playful quality, connecting us more deeply to each other. "In Gustavo’s situation, as I have observed it, family plays a very crucial role. Gustavo Dudamel became known as a leader of Venezuela’s national music education programs (known as El Sistema), having learned from them himself, and now he embraces similar music programs around the world, including Ravinia’s own El Sistema–based orchestras (known as Sistema Ravinia). Dudamel grew with the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela. "Sweden is a very stable society, but many of the issues are the same. "What he communicates is just a pure love of the music. He also picks up the bar numbers and the rehearsal letters, and he’ll always remember exactly where he is. Swedish contralto Anna Larsson, who has known Gustavo for a decade, tells a similar story. You’re all, heading for the same thing, so everyone is participating. I learned a lot, and I also gave them some of my ideas. Sunday-afternoon symphony concerts tend … Dudamel was born in Barquisimeto, a poor community in Venezuela, in 1981.His father played the trombone in a salsa band but, as Gustavo had short arms, he chose the violin as his instrument, which he started to play at the age of four in ‘El Sistema’ (The System), a youth program in Venezuela which teaches impoverished children how to play an instrument, which transformed his … I remember texting my husband right after working with him to say, ‘This guy is fantastic! "I see it all the time in Venezuela. They played their first concerts in the United States in 2007 and in Japan in 2008. Wagner’s Ring looms on the horizon. But in the end, it’s not only my inspiration. Larsson has sung with Dudamel in Sweden, London, Los Angeles, Caracas, and Salzburg; but she still vividly recalls her first concert with him in Tel Aviv, when Gustavo replaced an ailing Zubin Mehta at the last moment with the Israel Philharmonic. "I’m really grateful to have a good relationship with the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonics. The next year Dudamel and the orchestra toured Germany, and in following years they made additional trips to Europe, all to ecstatic reviews. Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor Gustavo Dudamel. He was also the music director for the Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar. In that atmosphere he can move, and can generate energy. Unlike most national youth orchestras, which re-audition each year and keep membership below a cut-off age, the Simón Bolívar retained its membership, and grew with its players. It is fundamental to the principals of "El Sistema" that older students act as mentors for their younger peers, and that successful professional musicians will also take on work as teachers and leaders. This is normal in Venezuela.". He brings a whole different culture to the music of Brahms, and he brings people who love Brahms to the music of great Spanish-speaking composers. The players in the orchestra are able to express themselves, because they’re joining in, rather than being directed. "To pass on the message of El Sistema is also important to me, and I will always keep fighting for that, in the best sense - there is no doubt about that.". "I remember that I had a favorite game. How beautiful, how crazy!". "In some countries, you have poor people and criminality; in other countries, you have young people committing suicide because they don’t believe in their future. Andreas Ottensamer, principal clarinetist with the Berliner Philharmoniker, has worked with Gustavo both as an orchestral member and as a soloist. "That’s a commitment to the future, and a commitment to society," New York Times journalist Michael Cooper comments at a 2014 Times Talk. About: Gustavo Dudamel. He is always there for his system and the children that are participating; he has an incredible love for and connection to them. "When you start work on a piece, you have the inspiration of the music. Whether his family is a few blocks or an entire continent away, technology brings them closer, and Gustavo relishes the messages, images and calls when they cannot be physically together. A moment I’ll never forget. A lot of the children in the orchestras come from the streets. Gustavo Dudamel Career. A playful approach to playing music is fundamental to Gustavo’s style, but it is also, always, an earnest matter. “John is a part of the family,” Dudamel told me. Photograph: Peter Eberts. He is an inspiration for the Spanish-speaking population in cities like Los Angeles. At the same time, he feels it equally important to include the work of living composers on his programs. And yet 26-year-old Gustavo Dudamel grew up in poverty in Venezuela. "At the same time, you have to try to maintain excellence. "Even now, after he has become such a wonderful conductor, internationally in demand, the road always leads him back home. That’s an extraordinary gift. In 2000, he led the orchestra on its first German tour. You don’t have to explain it. Playing.". In April 2007, Dudamel and the violinist Hilary … "I cannot say that music is the only thing that will save the world. "He grew up with these musicians," says Thomas Clamor. It’s very deeply grounded in him; the musical connection comes from within. Gustavo Dudamel, the young charismatic conductor of the LA Philharmonic, is now My Dude. Gustavo Dudamel is driven by the belief that music has the power to transform lives, to inspire, and to change the world. And this is beautiful. And it’s beauty.". But then you see that it’s about something really important - something that has been missing. Martin Chalifour, now in his 19th season as concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, speaks of his orchestra under Dudamel as enjoying a period of constant transformation and rejuvenation. "To be close to the composer’s mind is a rare privilege," Gustavo observes. The sassy songstress performed The Beatles’ song Help at an empty Rose Bowl, becoming one of the highlights of a two-hour concert special by Global Citizen that was designed to combat the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on vulnerable and marginalized communities. See Article History. And in that we have to be as close as possible to the genius of the composer - to understand the mind of the composer, and to share that with the orchestra - to do that at the best possible level.". It’s about two … And through music, how many lives in Venezuela and now around the whole world have been changed? "I remember when Maestro Abreu brought me to an empty piece of land in Caracas, and he walked into the middle, and said, ‘The hall will be here.’ And I was, like, ‘Great!’ Two years later they were starting to build. In Los Angeles, Gustavo has been a key figure in the launch of YOLA, the Youth Orchestra program that has already expanded to include over 600 children from underserved communities. So he had to follow the melody and sing it from the end to the beginning. When Gustavo Dudamel was 3, it was clear to his family that the youngster was all about music — to the chagrin of some members of his family. But also, when you see the orchestra, they give you further inspiration. And I think he brings out the best of the personality of each orchestra that he works with. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Vijay Gupta, a New York violinist now in his seventh Los Angeles season, says that Gustavo Dudamel brings a sense of community to the orchestra. The orchestra’s Academy is set up for instrumentalists, but an exception was made for this gifted young conductor; in the absence of a living bursary, he stayed at the home of then-orchestral trumpeter Thomas Clamor, a frequent guest in Venezuela himself. His heart is out there.". "He works meticulously, and he doesn’t miss any detail that’s in the score. I think that there is something powerful within music that helps children to change their lives. In every aspect of his work, Gustavo Dudamel is driven by a vision of music as a social force. The ability to make things fun while at the same time taking them incredibly seriously is a talent that Gustavo has more than anybody else I’ve ever seen.". You can feel their emotion. And I think he brings out, the best of the personality of each orchestra that he works with. The acoustic was wonderful; it’s a great, great hall. in the orchestra are able to express themselves, because they’re joining in, rather than being directed. I had little toy soldiers, but not with guns. Reality is alive. As a young child, Gustavo Dudamel yearned for the day when his arms would be long enough to enable him to play the trombone, like his father. People think that you can just come along and do it, that you don’t have to prepare. He was totally confident, and very relaxed, which is a rare combination when you first meet a conductor. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. "I was in a rehearsal in Barquisimeto one day, and the conductor was sick, and the podium was empty, so I thought, OK, and I took the baton. Gustavo finds inspiration from his mentor, José Antonio Abreu, the man who dreamed El Sistema into life four decades ago. He has seen this in his own life. The musical line is clear, and the balance is excellent. "We could never have dreamed of it. With every orchestra he meets, Gustavo establishes a human connection that is fundamental to the way that he makes music. The ability to memorize is, says Anna Larsson, a key aspect of Gustavo’s musicianship. "He has intuitive musicianship, he’s unbelievably enthusiastic, he’s incredibly hard-working, and extraordinarily conscientious," he says. When he conducts the music of Richard Strauss or Gustav Mahler with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Gustavo Dudamel is well aware of the fact that composers themselves conducted their music with this orchestra. "Many people who wouldn’t normally listen to classical music enjoy listening when Gustavo is conducting, because then the core of the music comes out, and we understand. Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor Gustavo Dudamel. But within five minutes it had changed. As a true Venezuelan, Gustavo Dudamel knows how to live in the moment. 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