Born in Barquisimeto, Gustavo Dudamel began to study harmony, solfege and counterpoint from a very early age. He took up the violin at age 10, and shortly thereafter was also studying composition. In 1996 he began his conducting studies with Rodolfo Saglimbeni. During that same year he was named Music Director of the Amadeus Chamber Orchestra. In 1999 he began conducting studies with Jose Antonio Abreu, and became music director of the National Youth Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela. He has made many appearances with the National Youth Symphony, including a much acclaimed tour of Germany in 2000 that included a concert at the Philharmonie in Berlin. In addition, he recently became Music Director of the Youth Orchestra of the Andean Countries (La Orquesta Sinfonica de Juventudes de los Paises Andinos – C.A.F.)