Dudamel To Lead Israel Philharmonic to America

Gustavo Dudamel will lead the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra on its first tour of America in four years in a trip marking Israel's 60th anniversary, the organization announced Tuesday.

The tour will begin at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark on November 15, then continue at Carnegie Hall. The orchestra is scheduled to play in six other cities before concluding the tour with a November 24 performance at Los Angeles's Walt Disney Concert Hall, Mr. Dudamel's future home. The 27-year-old conductor will become music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2009.

Mr. Dudamel studied at Venezuela's government-funded music school, El Sistema. His career took off when he won the 2004 Gustav Mahler Conducting Competition. He joined the Israel Philharmonic three years ago, and has since led the orchestra in more than 30 concerts throughout Israel and Europe.