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Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra

Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra

Formed: 1975

The Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela (Spanish: Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar de Venezuela) is a Venezuelan orchestra. Named after the Venezuelan national hero Simón Bolívar, it is the apex of the nation's system of youth orchestras, although by 2011, it was no longer officially a youth orchestra because the average age of the players had risen too high. It was replaced as the national youth orchestra by the Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra.

The economist José Antonio Abreu established the Orquesta Sinfónica Simón Bolívar on 12 February 1978. Gustavo Dudamel has been the orchestra's artistic director since 1999. The orchestra has worked with many famous conductors including Claudio Abbado and Simon Rattle.

Further Reading: Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra

Recording of the Week, El Sistema

A life-affirming and moving documentary by Paul Smaczny charting the evolution of the Venezuelan music education programme which produced the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra.

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