Written by Jerilyn Watson
(MUSIC)
ANNCR: Welcome to People in America in VOA Special English. Today, Rich
Kleinfeldt and Sarah Long tell about the life and work of one of the most
influential musicians of the twentieth century -- Leonard Bernstein.
(MUSIC)
This music was written by Leonard Bernstein. He composed it for the opening of
the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., in
nineteen seventy-one.
VOICE TWO:
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein lived from nineteen-eighteen until nineteen-ninety. During
his seventy-two years he was one of America's most hard-working musicians. He
was a composer, conductor, pianist and teacher.
He wrote both serious classical music and light popular music. He was musical
director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra for more than ten years. He
often played the piano while leading an orchestra at the same time. He taught
many other musicians. And, he appeared on television programs and wrote books
to help people -- especially children -- learn about music.
VOICE ONE:
Leonard Bernstein was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, on August twenty-fifth,
nineteen-eighteen. His parents were Jews from Russia. They met and married in
the United States. Leonard demonstrated early in life that he had special
abilities in music. His father, however, did not believe his son could support
himself as a musician. The older Bernstein continually advised against it.
Luckily, his son rejected this advice. Leonard studied music at Harvard
University and the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He spent
summers at a famous music center in Massachusetts called Tanglewood. There he
studied conducting with two major musicians of our time -- Serge Koussevitsky
and Fritz Reiner. Later Leonard Bernstein would return to Tanglewood to teach
almost every summer of his life.
VOICE TWO:
In nineteen forty-three, Leonard Bernstein became assistant conductor of the
New York Philharmonic Orchestra. In November of that year, New York
Philharmonic conductor Bruno Walter became sick could not conduct an important
concert.
Mister Bernstein was called to lead the orchestra very soon before the event.
He had little time to prepare. Still, he did so well that the New York Times
newspaper published a story praising his effort. The story appeared on the
front page the day after the concert.
After that, Leonard Bernstein was invited to conduct concerts of almost every
major American orchestra. In nineteen fifty-eight, he became musical director
of the New York Philharmonic. He was the first American to hold that position.
Critics said the well-known orchestra became even better under his leadership.
He was the main conductor of the Philharmonic until he resigned in nineteen-
sixty-seven.
VOICE ONE:
Leonard Bernstein became involved in many more projects after leaving the New
York Philharmonic. People said he was like a powerful ocean storm. He seemed
to live his whole life in a hurry.
Mister Bernstein traveled around the world to act as guest conductor of many
orchestras. He wrote music and taught music. At home, he and his wife, Chilean
actress Felicia Montealegre, were raising their three children. Their home was
a gathering place for some of the most influential artists, musicians and
writers in the United States.
