Gustavo Dudamel Awarded the Glenn Gould Prize

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TORONTO, Sept. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the world's foremost conductors, renowned for his dynamic presence on the podium and his unwavering belief that music has the power to transform lives and change the world, Venezuelan-born conductor, violinist and music education activist Gustavo Dudamel has been chosen as the fourteenth Glenn Gould Prize Laureate. Currently serving as Music and Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Music Director of the Opéra National de Paris and Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, Maestro Dudamel has introduced classical music to new audiences and provided access to the arts to many underserved communities around the world.

"It was one of the greatest honors of my life when, in 2008, my maestro José Antonio Abreu was named the Glenn Gould Prize Laureate. To now be awarded this prestigious prize myself, is something that fills me with a profound gratitude. The greatest art shines a light on our best selves, and offers a reminder of all that unites us. Likewise, the work of geniuses like Maestro Abreu and Glenn Gould is a beacon that shows us the path to create a better world together," stated Gustavo Dudamel.

The Glenn Gould Foundation honours the spirit and legacy of Canadian pianist, writer, and broadcaster Glenn Gould. Every two years, the Foundation convenes an international jury to award the Glenn Gould Prize to a living individual for a unique lifetime contribution that has enriched the human condition through the arts. Dudamel will receive a cash award of $100,000 (CAD) and the Glenn Gould Prize statue by Canadian artist Ruth Abernethy.

Mr. Dudamel has popularized orchestral music among a broad international audience.  He conducted the score to Steven Spielberg's film adaptation of West Side Story (2021), the opening and closing credits for John Williams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), performed with the LA Phil at the 2019 Academy Awards, and participated in the 2016 Super Bowl halftime show along with Coldplay, Beyoncé, and Bruno Mars.

As a former student of the El Sistema music education program, Mr. Dudamel is a passionate advocate for access to music.  In 2007, Dudamel, the LA Phil and community partners founded YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) which now provides 1,500 young people free instruments and intensive music training. He launched The Dudamel Foundation in 2012, which he co-chairs with his wife, actress and director María Valverde, with the goal of providing tools and opportunities to increase access to music and the arts for young people. Recent initiatives include Encuentros LA 2022, a summer music education and global leadership program for young orchestra musicians co-presented with the LA Phil.

Mr. Dudamel will choose an outstanding young artist or ensemble to receive the $25,000 (CAD) Glenn Gould Protégé Prize; they will both receive their awards at a gala ceremony in Toronto next year, and their work will be honoured through a series of public events. Visit www.glenngould.ca.

Contact: Karen Lorenowicz  [email protected]