BRAVO GUSTAVO!
The L.A. Phil’s current season is a celebration of outgoing Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, but the esteemed orchestra already has an eye on the future and there’s a new man on the bandstand who will take over as the Phil’s new leading man this fall. From Grand Avenue to the Getty, the cultural big buzz is all about Gustavo Dudamel, who has already wowed crowds at Disney Hall.
Malibu notables like Eli and Edythe Broad got a chance to watch the young Venezuelan conductor in action during a special concert with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. The Broads did their best to make the musical newcomer feel right at home.
Following the performance, starry guests like Anne and Kirk Douglas and Susan and Leonard Nimoy joined the Broads for a champagne celebration in the concert hall’s Founders Room. Music lovers then made their way across town for a first-class feast at the home of Joyce and Aubrey Chernick. The special event raised a whopping $1.5 million for the American Friends of the Israel Philharmonic, whose message is to bring “peace and cultural understanding through music.”
Gustavo is no stranger to the orchestra and played a seven-city tour with the group last year. At just 27, he has already become an international sensation, just like Esa-Pekka when he began with the Phil 17 years ago.
Gustavo began conducting while he was still in his teens and went on to win a number of prestigious competitions including the Gustav Mahler Conducting Prize in 2004. Just two years later, he debuted with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Israel Philharmonic, and signed a recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon. From there, it was on to the San Francisco Symphony, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and La Scala in Milan, Italy.
The up and coming conductor has been hailed as one of the best new musical talents in the world. His rave reviews should come as a comfort to many L.A. Phil fans, as Esa-Pekka is a tough act to follow, and has taken the orchestra to a new level, turning it into a world-class organization. You still have a chance to catch Esa-Pekka in action as he completes the current season. He’ll conduct the West Coast premiere of one of his very own compositions in April along with a Beethoven biggie, Symphony No. 5.
Got a hot happening or cool event? Send the 411 to kimdevore@malibutimes.com