Gustavo Dudamel is one of those extremely rare conductors to draw international attention while still in his twenties. For a musician who only began studying conducting in 1995 and made his professional debut in 2005, he has ascended the steep ladder to podium renown in almost unprecedented fashion.
He was born on January 26, 1981, in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. His father was a trombone player who performed in local bands. Gustavo began lessons on the violin at 10, having previously studied in a government-sponsored music program in grade school. ...