Leonard Bernstein was borne in Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1918. He was educated at the famed, football university, Harvard; and, later, he was educated at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. One of his many teachers was Walter Piston, under him he studied composition. Further, under bothe Serge Koussevitzky and Fritz Reiner, he studied conducting.

Bernstein made his conducting debut in 1943 when he replaced the indisposed Bruno Walter as the New York Philharmonic Society Orchestra conductor. Later, for three years, beginning within the year 1945, he became music director of the New York City Symphony. Further, he taught at the Berkshire Music Center from 1948 to 1955; he taught at Brandeis University for five years beginning in 1951; and, he directed the New York Philharmonic from 1958 to 1969. Upon his retirement in 1969, he was made laureate conductor for life. During his retirement, the great American composer, conductor, and pianist died in 1990.
 

Vocal Music
 

MASSES: Mass (1971), for singers, dancers, and players; Psalms (1965), for chorus and orchestra.
 

MUSICALS: On the Town (1944); Wonderful Town (1953); West Side Story (1957).
 

OPERA: Trouble in Tahiti (1952, later expanded to A Quiet Place, 1984).
 

OPERETTA: Candide (1956).
 

SONGS: Arias and Barcarolles (1989).
 

Ballet

Fancy Free (1944) and The Dybbuk Variations (1974).