LA PHIL ANNOUNCES 2025 GALA
FEATURING
THE LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC AND YOLA
FOR AN ALL ORCHESTRA PROGRAM
Special Guest Oscar Dudamel to Perform Bold Salsa-Classical Fusion for LA Phil Gala Festivities
LOS ANGELES, CA - The LA Phil announces the 2025 Gala: Gustavo’s Fiesta, taking place on October 14, 2025, and celebrating Gustavo Dudamel’s final gala as Music & Artistic Director. The evening’s program will feature spirited and joyful works that reflect the festive spirit of the occasion, the vibrancy of the season, and Dudamel’s extraordinary tenure with the orchestra. The celebration will also include a special appearance by Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA), a cornerstone of Dudamel’s artistic vision and a defining part of his enduring legacy with the LA Phil and the city of Los Angeles.
The program opens with Ravel’s vibrant and festive Feria, followed by selected movements from two of Dudamel’s favorite symphonies: the jubilant energy of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 and the bold, sweeping drama of Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9. The journey continues with the magical, dreamlike Le jardin féerique from Ravel’s Ma Mère l’Oye, and culminates in the exhilarating and hypnotic Noche de encantamiento from Revueltas’s La noche de los Mayas.
RAVEL Feria from Rapsodie espagnol
BEETHOVEN Symphony No.7: IV. Allegro con brio
DVORAK Symphony No. 9: Allegro con fuoco (w/ members of YOLA)
RAVEL Le jardin feerique from Ma Mere l’Oye
REVUELTAS Noche de encantamiento from Le noche de los Mayas
Additional details about this momentous celebration will be announced soon.
The festivities continue post-gala with acclaimed Venezuelan trombonist Oscar Dudamel –father of world-renowned conductor Gustavo Dudamel– performing a bold fusion of salsa, bolero, and classical music from his debut studio album, Sueño Alcanzado ("Dream Fulfilled"), at the gala afterparty. Produced in Caracas and released on the Platoon label, the album is dedicated to Gustavo, who, as a child, dreamed of playing salsa music like his father.
The title track, “Sueño Alcanzado,” is both the emotional centerpiece and narrative foundation of the album. Co-written with Maestro Alberto Crespo (arranger), Eliel Rivero (composer), and Solange Ramírez (voice teacher) —the mother of his son, Gustavo Dudamel—the song features a special guest appearance by the acclaimed conductor himself. Maestro Dudamel’s performance on violin completes a deeply personal and artistic journey that has unfolded over decades. Sueño Alcanzado is more than an album—it’s a musical journey through generations, genres and dreams fulfilled.
Sueño Alcanzado is a rich, genre-defying blend of salsa, bolero, Latin jazz and classical music. The album draws inspiration from the golden era of 1970s “salsa brava” while charting new territory in contemporary Latin music. Widely praised by critics and audiences alike, Sueño Alcanzado is a masterful reimagining of ‘progressive salsa,’ weaving together orchestral textures, cultural memory and emotional depth. The project has quickly become one of the strongest salsa albums of the year. That artistic identity is already resonating widely: Oscar Dudamel earned the #1 Tropical Song of the Week on Music Choice in both the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and reached #15 nationwide among the most-played tracks in the Tropical genre—marking a powerful prelude to his debut album release.
The first single, “La Rumba Me Llama” (“The Rhythm Is Calling Me”), was released in March 2025 and quickly gained traction with audiences and DJs alike. In May, Dudamel followed with “El Beso,” further building anticipation for the full album.
ABOUT GUSTAVO DUDAMEL
Gustavo Dudamel is committed to creating a better world through music. Guided by an unwavering belief in the power of art to inspire and transform lives, he has worked tirelessly to expand education and access for underserved communities around the world, and to broaden the impact of classical music to new and ever-larger audiences. His rise, from humble beginnings as a child in Venezuela to an unparalleled career of artistic and social achievements, offers living proof that culture can bring meaning to the life of an individual and greater harmony to the world at large. He currently serves as the Music & Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Simón Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, and in 2026 he becomes the Music and Artistic Director of the New York Philharmonic, continuing a legacy that includes Gustav Mahler, Arturo Toscanini, and Leonard Bernstein. Throughout 2025, Dudamel will celebrate the 50th anniversary of El Sistema, honoring the global impact of Jose Antonio Abreu’s visionary education program across five generations, and acknowledging the vital importance of arts education.
ABOUT OSCAR DUDAMEL
Oscar Dudamel, born on January 14, 1961, in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, is a celebrated trombonist whose lifelong passion for salsa began the moment he first heard Willie Colón’s “La Murga” as a child. Though classically trained—beginning his studies under Maestro Pablo Canela and later joining El Sistema—his heart has always belonged to the vibrant rhythms of salsa. Raised in a musical family, he first studied Cuatro and guitar, expanding his musical reach through percussion before focusing on the trombone. His formal education continued at the Lara State Conservatory and the Vicente Emilio Sojo Music Conservatory, where he refined his skills under the guidance of Maestro Óscar Vivenes.
Over the decades, Dudamel masterfully blended classical training with the pulse of Caribbean music, performing with icons such as Celia Cruz, Héctor Lavoe, and Rubén Blades. He founded his own orchestra in Caracas, sharing stages with salsa legends including Oscar D’León and Gilberto Santa Rosa. Now based in Madrid, he leads Oscar Dudamel y su Orquesta, performing regularly at Café Berlín. He is also the father of world-renowned conductor Gustavo Dudamel, whose love of salsa was deeply shaped by his father’s influence. In a tribute to that legacy, Oscar recently released his debut solo album Sueño Alcanzado, dedicated to Gustavo and the musical journey they share.
ABOUT THE LA PHIL
Under the leadership of Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel, the LA Phil offers live performances, media initiatives and learning programs that inspire and strengthen communities in Los Angeles and beyond. The Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra is the foundation of the LA Phil’s offerings, which also include a multi-genre, multidisciplinary presenting program and such youth development programs as YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles). Performances are offered on four historic stages—Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, The Ford, and Beckmen YOLA Center—as well as through a variety of media platforms. In all its endeavors, the LA Phil seeks to enrich the lives of individuals and communities through musical, artistic and learning experiences that resonate in our world today.
ABOUT PLATOON
The multi-award and GRAMMY® winning label Platoon was acquired by Apple in 2018. The boutique artist services company identifies groundbreaking talent from around the world, while providing invaluable and innovative tools and services to build their careers and reach new fans. Platoon landed its first success shortly after their inception when they signed the then-unknown Billie Eilish, laying the groundwork for her ascent to global stardom, alongside other household names such as Mr Eazi and Victoria Monét. Current signings include Saint Harison, RZA, Khaid, Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic and more.
