West Side Maestro Vol. 1: A Musical Memoir of Leonard Bernstein-The Creative Spark

ISBN: 1477448667

Author: Mandell, Robert

Condition: New

Product DescriptionWest Side Maestro Volume 1, The Creative Spark! is exactly what it describes itself to be, a musical memoir. It is an in depth personal examination of creative genius based upon not only the authors own experiences studying and working with one of the 20th centurys most famous musicians, Leonard Bernstein, during the ten most formative years of his career but also to later include the memories of other distinguished and noted members of the music and theatre Arts and Sciences in its brief to encompass the essence of the Bernstein creative spark as conductor, composer, television guru, writer, teacher and innovative thinker. Humphrey Burton, author of "Leonard Bernstein and director of over 170 Bernstein documentaries and filmed concerts, writes of West Side Maestro: "Robert Mandell's detailed analyses and level headed assessments of Bernstein's recorded legacy and of his equally extraordinary work as a teacher, (from The Young People's Concerts to the Norton Lectures), break new ground in Bernstein studies and will serve as the standard work for future generations: we owe him a huge debt of gratitude."About the AuthorRobert Mandell is an American conductor whose career spans 65 years. Following three years as a scholarship conductor at Tanglewood studying with Leonard Bernstein, Bernstein appointed him his Special Music Assistant for both his Omnibus TV Lectures and a member of the creative team for the first two seasons of the televised NY Philharmonic Young People's Concerts. His American career included Music Directorships of three symphony orchestras and annual series of concerts at both New York's Carnegie Hall & Town Hall. As house conductor for Readers Digest Records from 1961-67, he recorded 40 long playing records in repertoire ranging from Bach to Broadway. In 1968, he took up residence with his family in England and established himself with his Concerts For The Family conducting the Melachrino Strings and Orchestra in annual national tours and on BBC radio, television and recordings. He has been recognised in both the United States and UK as an authority on musical theatre for which he has served in the roles of both musical and stage director. He is at present at work on Volume 2 of his authoritative musical memoir of Leonard Bernstein which is scheduled for publication for Christmas 2012.