ABSTRACT
Leonard Bernstein’s role as a larger-than-life figure is well documented, especially in this year of celebration for the 100th year anniversary of his birth. Questions remain as to what one can learn from his music, political activism, legacy and writing. What are the key points that should be carried into the future? What essential and profound truths can be learned from a study of his philosophical writings? And what about the music – will it continue to have a relevant message? Indeed, what exactly is it that Bernstein did that contemporary musicians need to know about? This interview at Indiana University on May 12, 2017, with Bernstein’s oldest son, Alexander, shows how his father’s seminal ideas remain worthy of study and emulation and are indeed vital today (Cook Glen Overview).
