Jack Black and the LA Phil

For weeks I've been telling my friends that Gustavo Dudamel is the Barack Obama of classical music, and they laugh like I'm kidding. Now, they understand. In a previous post, I discussed the excitement behind Dudamel's opening concert, and last weekend--it happened. What an incredible hit. Finally, LA can take part in changing the world for the better--with music.

It was described as having the characteristics of a political rally at times throughout the event. A letter from the president himself was read to the audience, welcoming Dudamel to LA. Jack Black and Andy Garcia were among the celebrity guests in support of Dudamel's grand opening. The LA Phil has definitely been pulling out all the stops. And why not? For the sake of exposing the masses to this great collaborative art--please do it.

Now, on a personal note:

My Music History III class is filled with "educated" musicians--or at least in the process of becoming such. Though all students enrolled are age 21 and younger, there was definitely a sense of pretentiousness when our professor decided to discuss the Dudamel concert with the class. One student ardently and seriously disliked the performances by student groups that preceded the concerts, finding them inadequately skilled to perform at such an event. He also found the performances by artists like Herbie Hancock and Ben Harper inappropriate for the venue.

What a jerk.

It then launched a discussion on the premise behind the entire event. The fact that it was at the Hollywood Bowl, that tickets were free, that it provided a compilation of artists of different backgrounds and genres. It wasn't meant to be appreciated for it's artistic merit as much as its social statement.

This video on the LA Phil website, (Gustavo Dudamel meets YOLA students), is an excellent example of why Dudamel's welcome needed to be more than an elitist indoors concert for patrons. To my elitist peers: our art is about more than intonation, skill and cut-throat competition. Try giving the solo to someone else, for once.