Nick Verreos attends "Bienvenido Gustavo": Gustavo Dudamel at the Hollywood Bowl

Viva Venezuela...and Los Angeles!Miss Venezuela 2010: Nick Verreos, model-actress Patricia Velasquez, and Raymundo Baltazar, Hollywood Bowl

Over the weekend, I was privileged to have been invited by my very good friends, Raymundo Baltazar (fellow Project Runway alumn) and Jonathan Weedman, an esteemed member of the LA Philharmonic's Board of Directors to Bienvenido Gustavo, a concert, sponsored by Target at the fabulous Hollywood Bowl. The event was free but tickets were "sold out" a LONG TIME ago so when Raymundo called me to ask if I wanted to join them, I had my outfit picked out in less than two minutes! I was raised in Caracas, Venezuela and have followed my compatriota even before the infamous "60 Minutes" special let all the Gringos know the young genius of Gustavo Dudamel.
Hollywood Bowl VIP: Enjoying "Bienvenido Gustavo" at the Hollywood Bowl

This concert was the "official" way of welcoming "the world's greatest conductor" Gustavo Dudamel to the LA community. As we arrived, we were greeted by a charming all-women Mariachi band, unusual since Gustavo is from another continent, but oh well. Maybe it's difficult to find Venezuelan harp and cuatro musicians, but I know a few Venezuelans here in Southern California that would be happy to break out in a folkloric joropo--for a fee of course (wink wink!). Once inside the auditorium--and making our way to our reserved VIP box section--I spotted former Miss Venezuela 1989 finalist and Isaac Mizrahi and John Galliano muse, the gorgeous Patricia Velasquez. We posed for photos of course.Is Kylie Minogue Performing? The crowd at the Hollywood Bowl's Bienvenido Gustavo Concert

We enjoyed the entire FIVE HOUR concert from our AMAZING seats (love you Raymundo and Jonathan!) beginning with Quincy Jones introducing Cuban piano prodigy Alfredo Rodriguez to Andrae Crouch and his singers to Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and his Silverlake Conservatory Ensemble. Symphonic Architecture: Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Philharmonic, Hollywood Bowl

During the "intermission", we enjoyed a delicious Patina dinner of chicken and vegetables, as well as snacked on cheeses and yes, had several cocktails. Then came the "big event": The 11Th Musical Director of the LA Philharmonic was introduced to the 18,000 screaming fans (you'd think it was Miley Cirus!) as he conducted Beethoven's "Ode To Joy" with the YOLA Expo Center Youth Orchestra; an orchestra made up of young South LA kids who had never even picked up an instrument--until 2 years ago. Curly Venezolano: Gustavo Dudamel conducting Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, The Hollywood Bowl

After changing from a sporty black t-shirt and into the requisite white dinner jacket tuxedo, he then brought the entire Hollywood Bowl house down, conducting one of my favorite pieces of music: Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. The night ended with a stunning display of fireworks which lit up a huge sign atop the Hollywood Bowl structure which read "Bienvenido Gustavo". Yes, indeed, what a welcome! And to top it off, when I got home, I found out that we were even blogged about in the Los Angeles Times.

Click BELOW for two fun quick videos I captured from the day's festivities:

Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Silverlake Conservatory Ensemble:

Gustavo Dudamel introduced at the Hollywood Bowl: