Gustavo Dudamel, icon for Venezuela and the world by Daniela Acuna

When I think of any Venezuelan icon, it comes to my mind someone who does not necessarily has supernatural powers, but that is respected and admired nationally and internationally for all the achievements he has gotten so far and will get throughout his life, and for being recognized worldwide for his knowledge and experience: Gustavo Dudamel.

Gustavo Adolfo Dudamel Ramírez, young Venezuelan musician and conductor, was born in Barquisimeto, Lara state, on January 26^th, 1981.

He studied at Colegio Católico San Pedro (San Pedro Catholic School), where he excelled in sports and music.

His studies of popular music began under his father tutelage when he was four years old. Later on, when he was ten, he entered the Sistema de Orquestas Juveniles e Infantiles de Venezuela (Venezuela’s Youth and Infant Orchestras System), taking the violin as his instrument. Parallel, he went to the Conservatorio Jacinto Lara (Jacinto Lara Conservatory) and to the Academia Latinoamericana de Violín (Latin American Violin Academy) where he received classes with the conductor Jose Francisco del Castillo.

He started studying conducting in 1995, at first with Adolfo Saglimbeni, then with Jose Antonio Abreu. For many years he was concertmaster of the Sinfónica Infantil de Venezuela (Venezuela’s Infant Symphonic), standing out for composing small ensembles.

In 1999, when he was 18, he was appointed music director of the Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar (Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra), which is the most important of Venezuela’s Youth and Infant Orchestras System, where he still remains as director and conductor.

Dudamel started to win several conducting competitions, including the Premio de Dirección Gustav Mahler (Gustav Mahler Conducting Award) in Germany. His reputation began to spread and was appreciated by worldwide famous conductors such as Simon Rattle and Claudio Abbado, who accepted invitations to conduct Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra in Venezuela.

Countless are all the recognitions and achievements the young conductor has gotten so far nationally and internationally. Along with the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra, he has traveled all around the world touring and making sold out concerts, which had let him be recognized worldwide and admired for his work and knowledge. Some of the musical pieces he performs are a mix between Venezuelan folk music and classical music, where he shows the pride of being Venezuelan and introduces our country and its traditions internationally.

He has conducted several international orchestras such as Los Angeles Philharmonic, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and many others. He was designed principal conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra for 2007/2008 season, and musical conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for 2009/2010 season.

In 2005 he signed a recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon, a German recording company, with which, and in company of the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra, has released three albums so far.

In 2007, Gustavo conducted the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra in a concert in commemoration of the 80^th birthday of the Pope Benedict XVI, having in the audience the Pope himself and other dignitaries of the Church.

These are only a few of all the recognitions and successful performances Gustavo has done. There is a huge amount of achievements extended around the world.

Nationally, Gustavo Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra have done several tours and concerts, some of them commemorating certain important celebrations of our country. He has incorporated around one million of children and youth to the Venezuela’s Youth and Infant Orchestras System and received recognitions from Governors of different states in Venezuela and from President Hugo Chavez, highlighting and encouraging the tireless and unstoppable work he has done to position the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra between one of the best of the world and recognizing his worldwide achievements.

Talking about his personal life, in 2006 Gustavo married Eloísa Maturén, a classic ballet dancer and journalist, in the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello (Andres Bello Catholic University) Church, Montalban, Venezuela. During the ceremony, several marches and Ave Marias were interpreted to make of the wedding a musical celebration.

We can’t say Gustavo Dudamel is a hero, because evidently he does not have super powers. But there is no doubt he has become a cultural icon and someone admired for Venezuelans and people from all over the world, for both his musical knowledge and tireless work to get where he is today. He has crossed international barriers always keeping present Venezuelan tricolor and has worked really hard to leave Venezuela´s name high all around the world. Not only Venezuelans but people from everywhere are sure he has a long way ahead and a future full of countless achievements, in which day by day he will improve the great artist and conductor he already is, has been and will always be.