Venezuelan Gustavo Dudamel comes from a classical music background, having studied at the well known Venezuelan musical institution El Sistema and is a violinist par excellence. After becoming the music director of the local youth orchestra Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar he performed overseas, winning conducting competitions. He made his debut as a conductor in San Francisco and has since wielded the baton at various concerts and music festivals. He is the main conductor of Gothenburg Symphony and heads the Los Angeles Philharmonic.