“Latin Connection I” — National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela conducted by Gustavo Dudamel
Advance ticket sales are sold out.
Remaining tickets are available at the box office on the day of the concert, starting two hours before the performance begins. Seating is limited. Tickets are sold strictly on a first-come, first-served basis until stocks run out.
“Latin Connection I”
National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela
Gustavo Dudamel, conductor
Shostakovich — Symphony No. 7 “Leningrad”
Program Notes: “Latin Connection I”
**National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela**
The National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela is a cornerstone of Venezuela’s National System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras and Choirs (“El Sistema”). It represents the pinnacle of the country’s young musical talent. Founded in 1975 by Maestro José Antonio Abreu, this initiative seeks to transform the lives of children and youth through collective music-making.
The orchestra has served as an incubator for outstanding musicians and conductors—including Gustavo Dudamel, who launched his career within “El Sistema” and is now internationally renowned. The ensemble has undertaken international tours, performed on world-renowned stages, and collaborated with distinguished conductors and soloists.
Its repertoire spans classical masterworks to contemporary compositions—including pieces by Venezuelan composers—reflecting its commitment to promoting national musical culture. The orchestra has received acclaim for both artistic excellence and social impact, earning prestigious international awards such as the Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts and the UNESCO International Music Prize.
**Gustavo Dudamel, conductor**
Gustavo Dudamel is deeply committed to building a better world through music. His unwavering belief in art’s power to inspire and transform lives fuels his dedication to music education and access for underserved communities—and to expanding classical music’s reach to new audiences.
His journey—from humble beginnings in Venezuela to a globally celebrated career marked by unparalleled artistic and social achievements—proves that culture can give meaning to an individual’s life and greater harmony to the world at large.
Dudamel currently serves as Music and Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela. In 2026, he assumes the role of Music and Artistic Director of the New York Philharmonic—continuing a legendary lineage that includes Mahler, Toscanini, and Bernstein.
In 2025, Dudamel will celebrate the 50th anniversary of “El Sistema”, honoring José Antonio Abreu’s visionary global educational program and underscoring the vital importance of arts education. He is a genuine phenomenon of popular culture—the youngest conductor ever to lead the Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s Concert.
He has appeared at global cultural events and collaborated with icons of popular music. Dudamel conducted Spielberg’s film adaptation of *West Side Story* and recorded the opening and closing credits for *Star Wars: The Force Awakens*. His extensive discography has earned seven Grammy Awards and nine additional nominations.
Dudamel remains a passionate advocate for music education and social integration through the arts, sharing his own transformative experience in Venezuela’s “El Sistema” as proof that music can give purpose and direction to young people—and help them overcome adversity.
In 2007, Dudamel and the LA Philharmonic founded YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles). In 2012, he launched the Dudamel Foundation—co-chaired with his wife, actress and director María Valverde—with the mission to expand “access to music and the arts by offering tools and opportunities to young people so they can shape their creative futures.” The Dudamel Foundation organizes its global “Encuentros” initiative—from Spain to the Hollywood Bowl—to explore cultural unity and celebrate harmony, equality, dignity, beauty, and respect through music.