Angelenos gave Dudamel a warm welcome. Because of Los Angeles demographics, Dudamel observed, There was an element of inclusionthe audience was full of Latinos, it was packed. You have a huge community of Latinos among the Angelenos. It was very special, and not just because it 9 517-006 The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra: Cultural Entrepreneurship was freeto have a Latino [conducting] there, and also just to have the chance to go to see the Philharmonic. The main problem of art is providing access to everyone. There was a lot of pride. Alongside his new role, Dudamel remained the Music Director of the SBYO, committing about 25 weeks per year to working with children in Venezuela in the El Sistema program. How are children inspired? Is it when they see an orchestra playing? No. I think a child becomes excited when he or she sees somebody of the same age, or closer to their age, being successful on stage, he remarked.

Meanwhile, Venezuela was facing increasing political and economic disarray up to and following the death of former President Hugo Chvez in 2013, and into the presidency of his successor, Nicols Maduro.16 Dudamels associations with the Venezuelan government, which ran El Sistema, opened him up to international criticism. [Dudamel] is faulted for anything he does or says or doesnt do or say . . . His position has been to put his faith in El Sistema, which consists of young musicians growing up and playing music together, whatever their political and social differences, one observer wrote.17 But Dudamels popularity in Los Angeles continued unabated. When he was not conducting, he was highly involved in developing YOLAs curriculum. A group of YOLA students played with Beyonc and Coldplay in the 2016 Super Bowl halftime concert, conducted by Dudamel. The orchestra bused them to San Francisco, where the game was played. Borda recalled their return:

Gustavo and I went to greet the YOLA buses as they pulled back into LA right in front of Walt Disney Concert Hall, and I still get choked up when I think about the scene. There were at least 500 family members and friends holding flowers and homemade banners, all cheering and giving the kids a heroes welcome home. Parents were literally crying with pride. The mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, tweeted, YOLA kids, MVPs of the Super Bowl! So these young people had experienced success and pride, not through sports or, God forbid, crime[but] through being a team playing music. Gustavo addressed the crowd in Spanish and in English, and he might as well have been a god.

Student assessments showed that YOLA students reported feeling safer, more creative, and better supported by adults, along with other positive outcomes, after just six months in the program; their knowledge of music also accelerated each year. Average student retention over three years was 88%. About 68% of YOLA students were Latinos; the next-largest groups were African-Americans and Asians. Every senior in YOLA in 2015 and 2016 (YOLAs first two graduating classes) had completed high school, and many had plans to move on to college.18