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PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 22 augusT 2017
Venezuelan president blasts maestro Dudamel for speaking out

By JOSHUA GOOD- world-famous El Sistema foreign governments as an
MAN, Associated Press musical education pro- illegitimate power grab
CARACAS, Venezuela gram. Dudamel, 36, be- “Our country urgently
(AP) — President Nicolas gan studying music as a needs to lay the founda-
Maduro has angrily blasted child in El Sistema and has tion for a democratic or-
Venezuela’s classical music continued to tour with its der that guarantees social
maestro Gustavo Dudamel, ensembles the world over peace, security and a pros-
accusing his one-time sup- even after becoming the perous future for our sons
porter of being duped into Los Angeles Philharmonic’s and daughters,” he wrote
criticizing the government musical director a decade in a column published in
that has for years been one ago. the New York Times.
of his biggest promoters. But he joined a growing Maduro’s rebuke comes as
“I hope God forgives you,” cadre of internationally- Dudamel is scheduled next
Maduro said in a televised known Venezuelan ath- month to conduct the Na-
appearance on Friday, letes and celebrities and tional Youth Orchestra of
swiping at the Venezuelan- publicly broke with the Venezuela in a four-city U.S.
born conductor for roving government in May after tour — concerts that may In this Jan. 1, 2017 file photo, maestro Gustavo Dudamel of Ven-
around Madrid and Los An- a member of El Sistema now be in doubt as his rela- ezuela conducts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra during the
geles while his compatriots was killed amid a wave of tions with the Maduro gov- traditional New Year’s Concert at the Golden Hall of the Musikv-
erein in Vienna, Austria.
build a revolution that he protests that went on to kill ernment sour. Last month,
once helped glamorize. more than 120 people. on the eve of the elections
“Welcome to politics, Gus- In an online essay titled “I for the questioned constitu- The world-famous El Siste- lated by music educators
tavo Dudamel. But act Raise My Voice,” Dudamel tional assembly, Dudamel ma, created more than in dozens of countries.
with ethics, and don’t let urged Maduro to reduce and the Simon Bolivar Sym- four decades ago, is one While Maduro seemed be-
yourself be deceived into political tensions by listen- phony Orchestra abruptly of the rare institutions to trayed, his opponents and
attacking the architects of ing to instead of cracking canceled a series of shows have survived — even thriv- fellow classical music per-
this beautiful movement of down on youth protest- in Colombia’s capital, cit- ing — under the 17 years of formers appear in no mood
young boys and girls,” the ers. In July, he went fur- ing unspecified logistical socialist rule. The program to embrace Dudamel, who
socialist leader said. ther, calling on Maduro to problems. connects about 400,000 they’ve long accused of
Maduro was referring to scrap his plans to rewrite There was no immediate Venezuelan children, many being too cozy with the
Dudamel’s longtime asso- the constitution, a move response by Dudamel to of them poor, with classical increasingly autocratic
ciation with Venezuela’s condemned by dozens of Maduro’s criticisms. music, and has been emu- leader.q