Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990) was a legend in the classical music world of the 20th century. He was New York’s maestro, known for his Broadway works, like “Peter Pan,” “Candide,” “On the Town,” “Wonderful Town,” and, most notably, “West Side Story.”
He was born to Russian immigrant parents and quickly took an interest in music, specifically the piano. His father was not willing to pay for his lessons, so young Bernstein saved his money and paid for his own lessons. Demonstrating his ability on the keys, his impressed father purchased the young musician a baby grand piano.
He attended Boston Latin school, a public school that focuses on the classics as the foundation for education. He then studied music at Harvard University, the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, and finally, at the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Tanglewood Music Center. All of these studies led to his eventual assignment in 1943 as the Assistant Conductor of the New York Philharmonic….