I wanted to play my violin and have my musical expression through the instrument. But then I was really young when I had my first opportunity to conduct.

Recently, I went to a disco with friends, and all the young people were saying, 'Dudamel, we want to go to your concert, but it's impossible because it's sold out.' It's really amazing.

My main goal, and it's a big one, is that every child has a chance to get close to music - as a right - that as they have access to food, health, and education, they get the chance to have art and culture - especially music.

You have to believe that things will happen, you have to work and love what you're doing.

You learn a lot about each other from a tour, musically and humanly.

I studied music since I was four years old, and from that moment I became part of a family. And that family has taught me things; not only musical things, but things I have to face in life, and that is where the success of the system lies

I set out to create a means whereby music could be a way of vindicating the rights of the masses.