Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra Comes To London

The 27-year-old Venezuelan conductor was first seen at the Royal Festival Hall in 2005 when he conducted the Philharmonia Orchestra as part of the Allianz Cultural Foundation Conductors' Academy (and has been a regular conductor with the Philharmonia since). He returned to the Hall last June to conduct the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in a memorable preview concert just before the Hall reopened. This was soon followed by a concert at the Proms, where he and the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela produced an electrifying performance, which brought wide-spread critical acclaim.

The Daily Telegraph wrote, 'Music-making this joyous is in a class of its own. If you hear of the orchestra coming within 500 miles of you, book straight away; they will probably sell out within minutes' and The Independent called it 'a joyous and edifying spectacle'. The residency at Southbank Centre is focussed around two concerts in the Royal Festival Hall by the Orchestra on 14 and 18 April – the first programme will include Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra and the second Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring. Additional events throughout the residency will include Orchestra members performing chamber music concerts in other Southbank Centre venues and work with the Resident Orchestras and Artists.

Conductor Gustavo Dudamel said: 'London has a very special place in my heart because when I first met my wife, this magnificent lady was living in your magnificent city. I was lucky enough to play with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in the newly refurbished Royal Festival Hall just before it reopened and returned to the city for the Prom concert with the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela. Now I get to bring this youth orchestra to the Southbank in a project quite unlike any which we've done before. Come join us for what we hope is an unforgettable experience.'

Marshall Marcus, Head of Music at Southbank Centre said: 'I'm so pleased to welcome Gustavo Dudamel back to the Royal Festival Hall. He has been a regular visitor here over the past few years and this special residency offers an exceptional opportunity for London audiences to see and hear one of the world's most dynamic groups of musicians. I'm sure it will be an utterly memorable week for all concerned.'

The Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra was founded in 1975 and has continuously aimed to create new opportunities for musical excellence in Venezuela, working with conductors such as Claudio Abbado and Sir Simon Rattle and touring with its Music Director Gustavo Dudamel. Heading a national system, the State Foundation for the Venezuelan System of Youth and Child Orchestras (FESNOJIV, known colloquially as El Sistema), this orchestra is comprised of over 200 young musicians between the ages of 16 and 20, all products of a system that is of equal social, musical and educational importance in Venezuela. El Sistema involves some 250,000 musicians from across Venezuela in a system of pre-school orchestras, over 90 children's orchestras, over 130 youth orchestras and over 30 professional adult symphony orchestras.

The Shell Classic International series brings great orchestras from around the world to the Royal Festival Hall, to complement the four Resident Orchestras' programme. Other highlights of the season include concerts by the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mariss Jansons, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with its Honorary Conductor Zubin Mehta, and two performances by Ensemble Intercontemporain conducted by founder Pierre Boulez with soloist Pierre-Laurent Aimard. This is the second year that Shell has supported the Shell Classic International season as part of its major sponsorship of Southbank Centre's Transformation project, which included the reopening of the refurbished Royal Festival Hall in June 2007. -- www.southbankcentre.co.uk