November 9, 2009

Of West and East

GUSTAVO DUDAMEL

Music director, Los Angeles Philharmonic, since October

"I need music, like air, like water, like food. . . . When I'm conducting, I like to give every part of my energy. Even if people say it's too much. It's the way that my soul, that my body, is expressing what I want to."

Age: 28

Born: Barquisimeto, Venezuela

Family: Married to ballet dancer and journalist Eloísa Maturén

Education: Jacinto Lara Conservatory, Latin-American Violin Academy, El Sistema

Also: Music director, Gothenburg Symphony, 2007-present; music director, Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra, 1999-present

Plays: Violin

Musical circle: Simon Rattle, Daniel Barenboim, Dr. José Antonio Abreu

Recent recording: "Mahler: Symphony No. 1 From the Inaugural Concert" with Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic (available on iTunes) Deutsche Grammophon

ALAN GILBERT

Music director, New York Philharmonic, since September

"I consider a conductor to be a vessel for channeling the music, for letting the music speak for itself, but that is impossible unless you fully infuse the performance with your own point of view."

Age: 42

Born: New York City

Family: Married to cellist Kajsa William-Olsson; children: Esra Gilbert, 4, and Noemi Gilbert, 5.

Education: Harvard University, the Curtis Institute of Music and the Juilliard School

Also: Chief conductor, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic (2000-08); first music director of Santa Fe Opera (2003-06); principal guest conductor, Hamburg's NDR Symphony Orchestra (NDRSO) since 2004; conductor laureate of Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra

Plays: Violin, viola

Musical circle: Frank Peter Zimmermann, Magnus Lindberg, Daniel Harding and Ara Guzelimian

Recent recording: Mahler's Symphony No. 9 with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra