The Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra - orchestra in residence at the Salzburg Festival - received a warm welcome when it arrived in Salzburg. On August 27, before it first formal concert and as part of the “School for the Ear” Project, the orchestra held an open rehearsal at Große Universutätsaula. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 was played under the baton of the world-renowned conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Gustavo Dudamel.
Harnoncourt said that working with the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra was an extraordinary experience due to the perfection of the musicians' cohesion and the way they accurately perform each note. Regarding el Sistema’s educational and social work, he added that all Venezuelans should feel proud of the work carried out by this organization.