Gustavo Dudamel’s first season

Dudamel received a hero’s welcome with a free concert at the Hollywood Bowl that included performances by the YOLA Expo Centre Youth Orchestra and the L.A. Philharmonic. Fireworks spelled out the words “¡Bienvenido Dudamel!’ as the final sections of the Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony echoed over the enthusiastic crowds.

Dudamel led the L.A. Philharmonic in the season opener at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The performance featured the debut of John Adams’ ‘City Noir’ (which was commissioned by the orchestra) as well as Mahler’s Symphony No. 1

Dudamel conducted four performances of Verdi’s Requiem, a piece that was still relatively new to the young maestro. The concert included the L.A. Master Chorale and four vocal soloists.

For his first festival as music director of the L.A. Philharmonic, Dudamel led a series of concerts in the orchestra’s celebration of California’s unique place in music history. The event, which was curated by John Adams, featured contemporary pieces with strong connections to West Coast culture.

Dudamel conducted a series of concerts that included performances of Antonio Estévez’s ‘Cantata Criolla,’ a 35-minute piece that is considered a national treasure in the conductor’s native Venezuela.

The conductor suffered a pulled neck muscle during an evening performance at Disney Hall. Under doctor’s orders, he underwent medical tests but was back on the podium the following morning to lead a matinee concert.

Dudamel concluded the current season with an eight-city U.S. tour with the L.A. Philharmonic, with stops including San Francisco, Chicago, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and New York. Next up: the Hollywood Bowl season.