Music has long been one of humanity’s greatest tools for unity. Across cultures and political divides, music has overcome language barriers and served as a source of inspiration, resistance, and connection. It has the ability to express what words cannot and to remind people that their existence serves something larger than themselves. At the turn of the 19th century amid profound political and social upheaval throughout Europe, Ludwig van Beethoven used music not only as entertainment, but also as a vehicle to advance ideals of shared humanity and communal strength in works such as his Ninth Symphony, which features Friedrich Schiller’s poem “Ode to Joy.” The symphony asks the audience to listen and picture themselves not as followers of a specific creed, but solely as human beings. It expresses the universality of struggle and the possibility of triumph that emerges only through unity.
Beethoven’s Ninth also provides the most vivid example I have of music acting as a uniting force while playing alongside my peers. On October 3, 2009, to celebrate the appointment of Gustavo Dudamel as Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, I was onstage at the Hollywood Bowl as part of YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) performing “Ode to Joy” at the ¡Bienvenido Gustavo! concert. At the age of 8, I did not recognize the significance of the moment, but I did understand the feeling of playing with my friends, performing a piece we had worked tirelessly to prepare. In that moment, it was not the size of the audience that mattered, but the pride we felt in sharing this meaningful experience with one another.
In the centuries between Beethoven’s time and my debut at the Bowl, music has been a driving force in promoting connection during divisive times. There is perhaps no better exemplar of music’s ability to express the shared experiences we all have than Dudamel. Having emerged from El Sistema, a Venezuelan program that provides children access to classical music, he has always viewed music and social responsibility as inherently intertwined. El Sistema’s founder, José Antonio Abreu, viewed music as a basic human right and orchestras not as elite institutions but places to build community, discipline, and hope. Dudamel’s career has been a living testament to this philosophy, with influence that extends far beyond the stage. In 2007 he and the LA Phil founded YOLA, an El Sistema-based program through which thousands of young musicians across Los Angeles have been provided free instruments, professional instruction, and opportunities to perform on world-renowned stages. He demonstrates that unity is not to be viewed in the abstract, but as something that must be intentionally built through inclusion and opportunity, when people are given the tools to participate.
Dudamel envisions music as a shared language capable of bridging cultural divides beyond the limits of language through rooted collective intention. His dedication to arts education reflects the belief that unity begins with providing people the tools to engage meaningfully with one another. Just as music joins the distinct sounds of each musician into a cohesive whole, it has the capacity to connect people through a shared purpose built on harmony. In a world grappling with polarization and inequality, the legacy of Beethoven and Dudamel remains profoundly relevant. Music’s greatest power lies not only in individual technical mastery, but also in the beauty that comes from bringing a symphony together.
Gustavo Dudamel made his debut with the LA Phil in 2005 at the age of 24, and now at 24 myself, I look back on my experience with new appreciation. The 2009 concert and the following 16 years I have known Dudamel continue to shape the way I view the world. Our parallel timelines now feel especially significant. At 8 years old I saw Dudamel as someone far removed from me. During the rehearsals leading up to the ¡Bienvenido Gustavo! concert, there was undeniable energy in the room—news cameras, journalists, and an atmosphere almost bordering on frenzy. Yet the moment Dudamel raised his baton, everything stilled. There was silence. He spoke to us in a way that made us feel capable, treating us as professional musicians, not children. His unwavering belief in our abilities became the foundation of our newfound confidence. Looking back, I recognize how young Dudamel was when he stood before us leading YOLA with clarity and conviction. This realization has reframed how I think about my own life. Dudamel did not wait for permission or certainty before becoming an agent of change; he stepped into the role with assurance, and taught me that impact is determined not by age or status, but by conviction in one’s beliefs and abilities.
Dudamel’s vision of music as a force for unity did not just shape the sound that evening in 2009; it shaped how I saw myself in relation to others. Touring with YOLA and meeting young musicians from around the world, sharing music even when we did not share a language, taught me to see myself as a member of a global community. One of my fondest memories of YOLA was returning as an alumna to join its 2019 tour to Mexico, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Los Angeles and Mexico City as sister cities. Witnessing the younger students’ excitement as we explored a new city and performed on the national stage at the Palacio de Bellas Artes reminded me of the joy I felt as a student myself. The friendships I formed through YOLA remain some of my strongest and most cherished. Coming together each week over the course of a decade, building, creating, and growing alongside my friends, left a lasting imprint.
Through YOLA, I learned what it meant to be a part of something greater than myself and came to understand that it is necessary to be engaged in our communities to cultivate spaces of shared belonging that inspire us to push our limits.”
When I think back to being on that stage at 8 years old, I no longer picture a child performing. I see the beginning of a perspective and transformation that has continued to resonate long after the final notes were played.
Liliana Morales, a YOLA alumna and YOLA National Institute fellow, has performed at Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl and toured internationally with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. A UCSD graduate, she founded an El Sistema-inspired organization in her hometown of La Habra that blends her passions for music, science, and community service.