American Icons: Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts

Leonard Bernstein’s “Young People’s Concerts”  with the New York Philharmonic were presented in Manhattan concert halls and broadcast live on national television for 14 seasons. There had been similar “music appreciation” efforts before, but Bernstein — 40 years old at the outset, deeply passionate about teaching, and a natural showman — made them into a reliably exciting franchise for family classical music viewing. The story of these iconic programs and how they were put together in the early, daring days of live TV is told by participants, Bernstein-watchers, family members, and inspired musicians.

Producer: Sara Fishko
Assistant Producer: Olivia Briley
Mix Engineer: William Moss

Music Playlist

  1. William Tell Overture - Rossini

    Artist: Leonard Bernstein with the New York Philharmonic
    Album: Leonard Bernstein - Young People's Concerts / New York Philharmonic
  2. Symphony No. 5 - Beethoven

    Artist: Leonard Bernstein with the New York Philharmonic
    Album: Leonard Bernstein - Young People's Concerts / New York Philharmonic
  3. Piano Concerto No. 21 - Mozart

    Artist: Leonard Bernstein with the New York Philharmonic
    Album: Leonard Bernstein - Young People's Concerts / New York Philharmonic
  4. Overture to the Marriage of Figaro - Mozart

    Artist: Leonard Bernstein with the New York Philharmonic
    Album: Leonard Bernstein - Young People's Concerts / New York Philharmonic
  5. Batuque - Fernández

    Artist: Leonard Bernstein with the New York Philharmonic
    Album: Leonard Bernstein - Young People's Concerts / New York Philharmonic
  6. Symphony No. 4 - Mahler

    Artist: Leonard Bernstein with the New York Philharmonic
    Album: Leonard Bernstein - Young People's Concerts / New York Philharmonic