FI2W Podcast: Bringing classical music and star power to inner city kids in Los Angeles

The Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles is getting a lot of attention these days.  Maybe you saw them on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno or performing with Stevie Wonder at the Hollywood Bowl. A few years ago the orchestra got a boost from classical music superstar Gustavo Dudamel.  He’s the dynamic young conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.  Dudamel got his start in Venezuela’s innovative youth music program called El Systema, which was also the inspiration for the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles. In this edition of the podcast we’re going back into the archives to bring you a story from February 2009, when Gustavo Dudamel and the members of the Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles first met.  The reporter is Pilar Marrero, who, like Dudamel is from Venezuela.  Pilar writes for the Spanish-language newspaper La Opinion.  Here’s the story she produced for our radio partner, Studio 360.