Gustavo Does Gustav – For the Love of Music and Youth

Frank Fitzpatrick 02/07/2012

Last week I had the immense pleasure of attending Mahler’s 3^rd Symphony at Disney Hall.  Gustavo Dudamel, my favorite contemporary conductor and a fellow warrior in the mission to provide opportunities to learn music to all young people around the globe, was at the helm.

This time he was actually conducting a group of young musicians and singers (nearly 180 of them filling the stage at Disney Hall in LA): the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra from Venezuela.  Gustavo was beaming with pride as the young musicians delivered a performance as strong as one could expect from any of the leading orchestras, including our renown LA Philharmonic.

I first heard about Gustavo after recording a film score and orchestral collection of my own music in Caracas with the National Orchestra of Venezuela.  I was inspired to learn of the most amazing classical program set up by Chavez there called El Sistema.  It had established some 200 youth orchestras around the country, allowing any child – no matter how poor or remote – to learn an instrument and join one of the orchestras.  It was a brilliant move, not only for improving the lives and spirits of these children, but also for building a more intelligent, creative and adaptive population for the future of Venezuela.  Gustavo, once one of those kids, went on to be the leader of the top youth orchestra and poster child of El Sistema.

This evolution has created a whole paradigm shift in classical music.  His extensive work with children and passion to use music as a way to magically transform their spirits and lives, has Gustavo an approach to conducting that we have not witnessed from even the great European masters.  His direct connection and communication with each musician comes across as more caring and intimate.  He has also brought the joy of making music back to classical music, by making it fun.  The first US concert appearance of the youth orchestra had all the players dressed in the Venezuelan national flag while standing and dancing about like a Jimmy Lunceford big band as they played.

I didn’t get to actually meet Gustavo until he had already taken his position as the youngest Musical Director and Conductor of the LA Philharmonic.  Even with his craft mastery at a skill level of conductors twice his age, it is his presence, manners, charm and humility that most impress me.  You can’t help but love Gustavo, and Gustavo can’t help but love everything music.  His love of music, however, is far more than personal; it is inseparable from his desire to share the countless benefits of music with coming generations.  As part of his contract to take the highly sought after Los Angeles post, he insisted Los Angeles start their own program, Youth Orchestra LA (YOLA), providing any longing and underserved child in the city the chance to learn and play music.

It seemed Gustavo was floating on clouds of joy following this magnificent performance by his young friends from his home country.  The young musicians and audience were all a-glow, as well, from the incredible experience (not to mention the pretty damn good piece of music by Gustav Mahler).  Me – I’m just filled with inspiration and hope that, despite the loss of support for music and music education in our country, we have such an amazing star leading the way to shift that awareness while joyfully (and quite skillfully) touching the lives of millions along his path.