Leonard Bernstein

Leonard Bernstein was an American conductor, composer, pianist, and educator who bridged classical and American popular music. His output included symphonic works, choral and chamber pieces, film and stage music such as the musical West Side Story, and he had a long association with the New York Philharmonic as a conductor. Bernstein combined tonal orchestration with elements of jazz, Latin rhythms, and theatrical lyricism, and he championed music education through initiatives such as the televised Young People's Concerts.