Gustavo Dudamel, the new international star conductor



Dudamel in 2007 conducting the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra

The new Venezuelan star conductor Gustavo Dudamel could be seen in action today on two European television channels.

The Austrian Servus broacast a 2007 concert with Dudamel conducting the wonderful Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela. The programme, which consisted of traditional Latin American pieces, showed the orchestra and Dudamel at their very best. The enthusiasm and professionalism that the young musicians radiate is unbelievable.

Dudamel conducting the L.A. Philharmonic in a Gershwin programme

The other broadcast, shown on Arte, was recently recorded in Los Angeles, where Dudamel conducted a Gershwin programme with the L.A. Philharmonic. This was another marvellous concert, with the great Herbie Hancock as soloist in Rhapsody in Blue.

It appears that Dudamel has achieved an excellent working realationship with the orchestra, although it may take a while before the L.A. musicians begin to exude the same kind of enthusiasm when playing as their younger colleagues in Venezuela:

Anyway, the L.A. Philharmonic and also the Gothenburg Symphony Ochestra, are to be congratulated for signing Dudamel as music director. Dudamel is the kind of conductor that classical music and orchestras need in order to survive and thrive.