Item Description: |
Originally published: New York : Simon and Schuster, 1959. |
---|---|
Physical Description: |
315 p. : ill. ; 24 cm. |
ISBN: |
1574671049 |
Author Notes: |
Born to Russian-Jewish immigrants in Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1918, Bernstein started taking piano lessons at the age of 10, using his own allowance to pay for the lessons. He continued his musical studies at the Curtis Institute of Music, in Philadelphia, where he quickly displayed his varied talents as a pupil of renowned conductor Fritz Reiner. At the age of 25, Bernstein became an overnight sensation when he substituted for an ailing conductor during a concert. In 1958, when he was named musical director of the New York Philharmonic, Bernstein became the first native-born American to head a symphony orchestra. His association with the New York Philharmonic lasted until 1969, when he resigned to concentrate on composing. Bernstein died in 1990. (Bowker Author Biography) |