February 11, 2009 3:25 PM

Gustavo The Great

By
CBSNews
(CBS)  Who's the world's greatest conductor? You could debate that question for days. Who's the world's most precocious conductor? Hands down it's Gustavo Dudamel, a shaggy haired prodigy from Venezuela, who has become classical music's newest rock star.

Gustavo started taking music lessons when he was four. When he was 15, he was named conductor of Venezuela's national youth orchestra. Ten months ago, at the ripe old age of 26, the Los Angeles Philharmonic hired him as its next music director.

Gustavo Dudamel is simply the hottest thing to hit classical music since Leonard Bernstein. But in the world of music, why talk? Better to look, and listen.



Aside from the hair, the first thing you might notice about Gustavo Dudamel is the joy, the exuberance, the passion, the energy, with which he conducts. The hair bounces, the arms fly. He is a man possessed, conducting Beethoven, but doing a ballet. Watching Dudamel conduct is mesmerizing, and audiences around the world can't get enough of him. But don't think of him as a talented newcomer. Despite his youth, Gustavo sees himself as a weathered veteran.

"I'm not too young," he tells Simon. "I'm 26."

"You're an old man," Simon remarks.

"I'm a very old man, Dudamel says, laughing. "No, you know. I feel you know, I start to conduct orchestras when I was 12 years old."

But Dudamel says it's not true when he sees himself described as a genius, prodigy, or wunderkind. "I think that I need to learn a lot, a lot. I think that this is my beginning," he says.

Gustavo exploded onto the international stage in 2004, with a lot less hair but just as much energy. He was one of 16 people invited to compete for the Mahler Prize, the world's most prestigious competition for young conductors. And he won. One of the judges was the L.A. Philharmonic's conductor, who after seeing Gustavo, called Los Angeles to talk to his boss, Deborah Borda.

"And he said, 'Well, actually, I just saw the most amazing young conductor. He's a 24-year-old Venezuelan kid. He barely speaks English. And Deborah, he's a real conducting animal,'" Borda recalls, laughing.

It was the beginning of a global phenomenon known as "Dudamel-mania." Newspapers and magazines started covering his every move. A German company signed a recording contract with him. He was sought after to conduct orchestras around the world. Even the pope commanded a performance. But the music world was stunned when the Los Angeles Philharmonic hired him to be its next music director.

"I think that the atmosphere exists here for him to really change musical history," Borda says. "Gustavo has an ability to communicate what is passionate and vital about music in a very 21st century way."



Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved.
Add a Comment See all 25 Comments
by sebringking11 March 2, 2011 8:41 PM EST
Just entered high school, and just started enjoying classical music. What is the first piece Gustavo is conducting? Where he is said to be performing a ballet???


Thank you in advance
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by jm-business May 2, 2009 11:07 AM EDT
Wow! Mr Dudamel is pure passion! This is an inspiring story. Great pick 60 Minutes!
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by icon-o-guy March 8, 2009 8:06 PM EDT
I think he's great for bringing new folks to classical. He has star qualities.
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by etmcdo February 20, 2008 3:40 AM EST
you heard it here first???? where were you when chicagoens had the pleasure of hearing him months ago
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by nirak2-2009 February 19, 2008 4:42 PM EST
So do I aadowning.
He is incredible and a great talent and on top of that,he is modest which makes him even more likeable.
I am not even into that kind of music, but watching him gets you interested.
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by aadowning February 19, 2008 12:58 PM EST
What an awesome segment. Mr Dudamel also conducts the GSO,Gothenburg Symphony in Sweden where he has taken over the city. My daughter is a bass player in that orchestra and she thinks he is fantastic.
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by aadowning February 19, 2008 12:51 PM EST
What an awesome segment. Mr Dudamel also conducts the GSO,Gothenburg Symphony in Sweden where he has taken over the city. My daughter is a bass player in that orchestra and she thinks he is fantastic.
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by amlapb February 19, 2008 2:49 AM EST
I had the pleasure,to see the last minutes of the show,to see tremendous display of love for the Art of Music, it can only be compared with the Master of yesteryears, take in to account the young age of this man, the future will be His Throne,being a Poet myself currently working at the Conservatory of Music in Canada for many years,never have I ever seeing such
passion since Amadeus. ( Mozart)...I give a nine out of ten...time will be the essence of His greatness...Humbleness...will bring a Crown
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by aperez56 February 18, 2008 7:43 PM EST
This story must be shared with all Latinos living in the US and I would like to offer my website as a vehicle for CBS to do just that. Bravo Gustavo! Bravo 60 Minutes!
Reply to this comment
by aperez56 February 18, 2008 7:39 PM EST
This story must be shared with all Latinos living in the US and I would like to offer my website as a vehicle for CBS to do just that. Bravo Gustavo! Bravo 60 Minutes!
Reply to this comment
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