It wouldn't be too large of a stretch to call Gustavo Dudamel this generation's Leonard Bernstein; a brilliant young conductor who has wowed the world of classical music. Dudamel is the main success story from "El Sistema"- Venezuela's famed music education program for thousands of youths- and has parlayed his talents to become music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. At the age of 29, the wunderkind he has not forgotten his roots in Barquisimeto as observed in this 2008 "60 Minutes" interview:
"The music saved me. I'm sure of this. With all these bad things around you, you are exposed to these things, very close. The music give me a way to be far of these things," Dudamel says...
Asked if he feels like the ambassador of "the system," Dudamel tells (correspondent Bob) Simon, "In a good way, yes. I think that it's not Gustavo Dudamel. It's the Venezuelan system."
Below is a 2007 performance of Dudamel conducting a stirring rendition from his homeland's Simon Bolívar Youth Orchestra. (Dudamel has served as the Orchestra's artistic director for over a decade).
Today was the ceremony for the Prince of Asturias Awards named in recognition of Spain's Crown Prince Felipe. Despite the objections of fringe Spanish groups, Colombian politician and ex-hostage Ingrid Betancourt received one of those awards. She spoke out on arms trafficking, the drug trade and violence during her recognition speech:
"We ask that the drugs which are produced in Colombia and other regions not be allowed to be transported through our lands because the wealth it generates is feeding terrorism and increasing kidnappings"…
"We ask that our people stop arms trafficking because those same arms are used against our populations, to take the lives and freedom of our loved ones," added Betancourt, who wore a rosary she made out of wood while in captivity in the Colombian jungle wrapped around her wrist…
"I will not feel totally free, or happy, as long as one of my companions remains jailed in the jungle," she said.
The below video shows a portion of her impassioned speech where she pleads for international support for her comrades still held hostage:
The awards also recognized the state-run National Network of Youth and Children Orchestras of Venezuela (Arts) and Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal (sports).
Sources- The Prince of Asturias Foundation, YouTube, AFP, The Latin Americanist,
