Dudamel's LA Phil concert to raise funds for Venezuela quake

Conductor Gustavo Dudamel will transform his final Hollywood Bowl performance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic into a major benefit concert for earthquake relief in his native Venezuela. The event, announced on Monday, July 6, 2026, will be held on Sunday, August 23, and has been renamed "A Concert for Venezuela."

The concert replaces the previously scheduled "Celebrating Gustavo at the Bowl: A Musical Legacy" and will raise funds for communities devastated by twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24. The quakes, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, caused catastrophic damage, particularly in coastal areas like La Guaira north of Caracas. Authorities have reported more than 3,000 fatalities, with thousands more reported missing and tens of thousands left homeless.

In a statement, Dudamel expressed his deep connection to his homeland. "Venezuela will always be my home, and every moment, my thoughts are with the families whose lives have been forever changed by this tragedy," he said. "The suffering is immense, but so is the strength and resilience of our people. This concert at the Hollywood Bowl is an invitation to stand together and transform our compassion into action."