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Sunny Day: Gustavo Dudamel Will Appear on Sesame Street
Photo courtesy of the LA Phil
Gustavo Dudamel has had a lot on his plate lately: this weekend, he'll lead over 1,000 musicians in performing Mahler's Eighth Symphony, and no doubt he had a hand in planning this year's newly-released Hollywood Bowl line-up.
But that didn't stop the L.A. Philharmonic's superstar conductor from taking some time out for the kids -- next Monday, February 6, Dudamel will make a guest appearance on PBS' "Sesame Street." In the episode, he teaches young viewers the meaning of the word "stupendous" by conducting a sheep playing a violin, an octopus playing the drums and a chorus of penguins singing opera in what is no doubt a stirring rendition of Beethoven's Ode to Joy.
Dudamel has made no secret of his belief in the importance of music in the lives of kids. He himself was introduced to playing instruments as a child through his native Venezuela's groundbreaking music education program, El Sistema. Inspired by El Sistema, he helped to establish the Youth Orchestra L.A. (YOLA) program after starting his tenure with the L.A. Phil.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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