Gustavo Dudamel

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"Mr. Dudamel . . . deserves enormous credit for the high level and intensity of this youth orchestra . . . these musicians perform with such discipline and well-honed precision that they can go for maximum expression and follow the lead of their impetuous conductor. Mr. Dudamel has a keen ear for instrumental coloring and musical character."

The New York Times; , November 2007

Born on 26 January 1981 in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, Gustavo Dudamel was ten when he took up the violin, and soon was also studying composition. In 1996, he began his conducting studies with Rodolfo Saglimbeni and during the same year was named Music Director of the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra. In 1999, he continued his conducting studies with José Antonio Abreu and was appointed Music Director of the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela (SBYOV), an ensemble founded by Abreu that is widely recognized for its role in transforming the lives of tens of thousands of impoverished youths. Gustavo Dudamel is also in great demand as a guest conductor and has worked with the world's most renowned orchestras and musicians. He is currently Principal Conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, has been appointed Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, effective 2009/10, and is Music Director of the SBYOV (since 1999). In May 2007, Dudamel was awarded the Premio de la Latindad by the 37 Latin American and African member states of the Union Latina organization for his outstanding contributions to Latin cultural life.

2000	With the SBYOV he undertakes a much-acclaimed tour of Germany that includes a concert at the Philharmonie in Berlin. Dudamel is appointed Music Director of the Youth Orchestra of the Andean Countries (La Orquesta Sinfónica de Juventudes de los Países Andinos - C.A.F.) and Principal Conductor of the Youth Orchestra of the Americas
2002	Finalist in the inaugural Maazel/Vilar Conductors' Competition
2004	Wins the inaugural Bamberger Symphoniker Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition; deputizes at short notice for Frans Brüggen with London's Philharmonia Orchestra at the Beethovenfest, Bonn; conducts Mahler Chamber Orchestra in Caracas; Simon Rattle and Claudio Abbado accept Dudamel's invitation to visit Venezuela and conduct his orchestra
2005	Conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra at London's Royal Festival Hall as part of the International Conductors' Academy; wildly acclaimed concerts with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra; BBC Proms debut conducting the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, deputizing at short notice for Neeme Järvi. He undertakes another tour of Germany with the SBYOV. Other European debuts this year include Rome's Orchestra Sinfonica dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and his US debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in the Hollywood Bowl. Gustavo Dudamel signs an exclusive recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon
2006	Debuts with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden and the Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala among others. Tour of Israel with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, tour of Italy with the SBYOV, and an appearance with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the Tanglewood Festival. Opera engagements include Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore at the Staatsoper Berlin and Mozart's Don Giovanni at La Scala. His first DG release, Beethoven's Symphonies nos. 5 & 7 with the SBYOV, is received to great critical acclaim and brings Dudamel an Echo Award in the category "New Artist of the Year 2007". In April, Gustavo Dudamel is appointed Principal Conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, starting in 2007/2008
2007	Engagements include concerts with the LA Philharmonic, Philharmonia, Berlin Staatskapelle and Leipzig's Gewandhaus Orchestra. Debut appearances include the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic and Wiener Philharmoniker. A highly acclaimed concert tour with the SBYOV includes appearances at the BBC Proms, Edinburgh, Schleswig-Holstein and Lucerne Festivals. Honouring their first tour of North America, New York Magazine proclaims Dudamel's debut in the Carnegie Hall with the SBYOV as "Best Performance of the Year" at its Culture Awards 2007. A special highlight is his appearance with the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra at a birthday concert for the Pope at the Vatican (available on DVD). He receives great acclaim for his recordings of Mahler's Fifth Symphony with the SBYOV and Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra with the LA Philharmonic (digital download only)
2008	Dudamel and the SBYOV are scheduled to make their debut with a residency at the Salzburg Festival, return to the Lucerne Festival as part of an extensive tour of central Europe, and make their first tour of Japan. Dudamel conducts numerous concerts with the Gothenburg Symphony, the LA Philharmonic, Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France and the Philharmonia Orchestra among others. In June he makes his first appearance with the Berliner Philharmoniker at the Berlin Waldbühne, featuring Latin-American repertoire; the concert is to be broadcast on German television. Furthermore, he conducts Puccini's La Bohème at Berlin's Staatsoper and at La Scala in Milan. Releases: a compilation of Latin-American showpieces, entitled Fiesta and recorded live in Caracas with the SBYOV, is due for release in late spring. Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique, Prokofiev's Piano Concerto no. 1 and Salonen's Insomnia with the LA Philharmonic are available for download only. The Promise of Music - a full-length documentary film about Gus-tavo Dudamel and the SBYOV will be issued on DVD

4/2008