Leonard Bernstein

'Lenny' Bernstein was a true American master: an outstanding conductor, composer, lecturer and pianist.
Bernstein studied composition at Harvard under Walter Piston and later conducting under Fritz Reiner and Serge Koussevitsky. As assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra Bernstein shot to fame in 1943 when, replacing an ailing Bruno Walter, he conducted a concert broadcast on radio to a huge audience. In 1958 Bernstein became principal conductor at the New York Philharmonic, beginning a long and successful partnership. Bernstein championed American music conducting and recording works by Copland Ives and Harris and his recordings of the Mahler symphonies in the 1960's did much to revive interest in Mahler's music.
Bernstein's long running series of TV broadcasts, the 'Young People's concerts', were highly successful.
Bernstein's most notable compositions are the Chichester Psalms, three symphonies and 'Mass' and his much loved musicals 'On the Town' and 'West Side Story'.