Gustavo Dudamel

Biography

The son of a trombonist and a singing teacher, Gustavo Dudamel played with symphonies while others were still busy finger-painting. Concerts and orchestras fascinated him; by the age of 10, Gustavo was reading sheet music like other children read novels. At the age of 15, he found himself on the podium of the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela (now the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela), of which he remains principal conductor today.

Even in a country where it is normal to nurture young talent, Gustavo's gift was recognized as exceptional, which allowed him to take lessons with José Antonio Abreu, founder and director of El Sistema, and soon after, to attract the attention of the great international conductors Sir Simon Rattle and Claudio Abbado. In 2000, he conducted the orchestra on its first German tour. Further tours followed, as did a recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon. Today, Gustavo and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela are in demand on the world's greatest stages. In 2002, he was invited to study with the Berliner Philharmoniker under Sir Simon Rattle.

A tireless advocate of new music, Gustavo Dudamel has presided over countless world premieres, worked closely with composers, and written his own scores.

When he conducts the music of Richard Strauss or Gustav Mahler with the Vienna Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel is well aware that the composers themselves have conducted their music with this orchestra.

During his five years at the helm of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Gustavo Dudamel has seen his orchestra give world premieres of nearly 60 new works, 20 of which he has conducted himself. His guest conducting engagements take him from La Scala in Milan to the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. Complete Mahler cycles in Los Angeles and Caracas, a cycle of Beethoven symphonies in iconic European concert halls, and premieres of works by John Adams, Philip Glass, Steve Mackey, Kaija Saariaho, and Esa-Pekka Salonen are all part of his recent and upcoming program.

The charismatic Venezuelan director’s original and dazzling career has made him a myth despite his youth. Gustavo Dudamel is one of the most popular and sought-after conductors on all continents and regularly conducts orchestras such as the Vienna and Berlin Philharmonics, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra or the Tonhalle in Zurich.