Los Angeles Philharmonic Debuts Gustavo Dudamel Online

Native Venezuelan, Gustavo Dudamel, is only 28 years old and he is already proving that he has what it takes to make it in the classical music world. Bringing the Los Angeles Philharmonic immense attention this month, Dudamel is known for his energetic, loving, and passionate character—and now he’s known for much, much more.

On October 3, Dudamel will debut as the conductor at the Hollywood Bowl with a free concert called “¡Bienvenido Gustavo!” that will aim to integrate trends in modern-day popular music with the traditional classics. Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the jazz pianist Herbie Hancock who incorporates elements of rock and soul, and Grammy-award winning blues muscian Taj Mahal will take the stage in the first half of the evening, followed by a rendition of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in the second half. The free tickets were gone within minutes and it is reported that scalpers were attempting to sell them for around $1,600 a piece.

Seeing the incredible demand from the public for access to Dudamel’s musical genius, the Los Angeles Philharmonic made the decision to air the concert live online. “This event marks the very first time a performance has been webcast from the iconic venue,” according to their website. The day following the concert, you can still catch the performance on-demand for 24 hours.

In a somewhat ironic foreshadowing of this month’s events, last January Dudamel spoke at a press meeting and said, “The internet is the way to save the arts,” adding, “Classical has many faces—for us it is important to have many people.” Perhaps unaware of his impending success, Dudamel will certainly have plenty of anticipatory faces on October 3.

Via: LAist