| Gustavo Dudamel is the new musical director of the | | | | prodigy, just a regular person with an extraordinary |
| Los Angeles Philharmonic, and it seems to be a | | | | love of music. |
| marriage made in musical heaven. In one of the most | | | | Dudamel wasn't finished collecting awards and other |
| populous Latino cities in the United States, it only | | | | accolades either. In 2007 he was awarded the Premio |
| makes sense that one of its top classical stars would | | | | de la Latinidad, and in 2008 the Simón |
| be a young man from a lower middle class beginning | | | | Bolívar Youth Orchestra, which he still conducts, |
| from Barquisimeto, Venezuela. | | | | was granted Spain's Prince of Asturias Award for the |
| Dudamel wasn't quite known as a child prodigy, but he | | | | Arts. He's been asked to be the guest conductor for |
| comes from a musical background. His father was a | | | | many of the world's best symphony's, including the Los |
| violinist and his mother a voice teacher, so he had | | | | Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl in 2005. |
| music in his household early in life. He didn't start playing | | | | Others include the Israel Philharmonic, the Royal |
| an instrument until he was 10 years old, which is | | | | Liverpool Harmonic, and the Vienna Philharmonic |
| considered aged when talking about most prodigies, | | | | Orchestra. He also conducted the opera Don Giovanni |
| but he turned out to be very good, enough so that only | | | | at La Scala in Milan, Italy. While conducting the Chicago |
| a couple of years later he was enrolled into the Jacinto | | | | Symphony Orchestra in 2007, he was named the heir |
| Lara Conservatory, where he studied violin with Jose | | | | apparent to the role of Musical Director of the Los |
| Luis Jiminez. After that he went to study with Jose | | | | Angeles Philharmonic for the 2009/2010 season. In the |
| Francisco del Castillo at the Latin American Violin | | | | same month, he conducted the Stuttgart Radio |
| Academy. | | | | Symphony Orchestra in commemoration of the Pope |
| At 14, he started studying conducting with Rodolfo | | | | Benedict XVI's 80th birthday. |
| Saglimbeni, and was named Music Director of the | | | | Not one to sit around, Dudamel continued traveling and |
| Amadeus Chamber Orchestra. Later on, in 1999, he | | | | conducting in 2008. He conducted at La Scala again, |
| began studying with Jose Antonio Abreu, and was | | | | this time giving a performance of La Boheme. He |
| also named music director of the Simon Bolivar Youth | | | | performed in all the major cities of Europe, and a few |
| Orchestra of Venezuela. It's obvious he did have the | | | | cities within the United States as well. He was still doing |
| talent to move so fast, even at a young age. It was | | | | special guest performances for many orchestras |
| evident in the fact that 60 Minutes did a story on him, | | | | across the world, and he scored his second 60 |
| the young violinist who was quickly becoming the up | | | | Minutes story; not bad for someone who still is yet to |
| and rising new conducting star of the world. | | | | reach the age of 30. |
| He started touring with his group in 2000, first to | | | | In 2009, he has become a much sought after interview |
| Germany, and then later all throughout Europe, always | | | | and celebrity. In July 2009 he was awarded The City |
| to enthusiastic crowds. In 2004, Dudamel won the | | | | of Toronto Glenn Gould Protégé Prize |
| Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition at age 23, and | | | | by José Antonio Abreu. He is the toast of the |
| a couple of years later he was offered the position as | | | | town in Los Angeles, with many people trying to learn |
| conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in | | | | more about him. He's married to a classically trained |
| Sweden. In 2005, he signed his first recording contract. | | | | ballet dancer and journalist also from Venezuela; there |
| In an interview he did in 2006, he talked about his early | | | | are no kids. His first performance as conductor of the |
| life, how music always seemed to be a part of it. He | | | | LA Philharmonic was to be Beethoven's 9th |
| told a story on how his mother used to buy him plastic | | | | Symphony, an audacious opening performance that |
| army men and how he'd arrange them so that they | | | | should introduce him as a tour de force to be |
| looked like an orchestra and pretend that he was | | | | reckoned with for years to come. With someone like |
| conducting them. Being from a family that didn't have | | | | Gustavo Dudamel, who says he hears music in his |
| enough money, he was a product of one of the music | | | | head at all times of the day, even when he's resting, |
| programs Venezuela set up for underprivileged | | | | the Philharmonic should be an interesting place to be |
| children. He stated that he doesn't see himself as a | | | | for the coming years. |