Gustavo Dudamel is inspiring children to embrace the music in their hearts… 

The 36-year-old celebrated Venezuelan conductor and violinist joined the animated characters of Disney Jr.’s Latina princess series Elena of Avalor for a new Hispanic Heritage Month spot aimed at encouraging children’s musical dreams.

“Music is my life,” the L.A. Philharmonic music director tells kids in the promo, which started airing on Friday in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. “The most important thing is that I have a chance to share with people.”

When asked by a young musician how he became a conductor, the orchestra leader said he would play pretend that he was a conductor when he was growing up, arranging his toy soldiers like orchestra musicians. “I was 11 years old and the conductor was late, and I went to the podium and I started to conduct,” Dudamel recalled, making it sound easy — yet, hopefully inspiring other aspiring conductors to take the podium themselves.