PRELUDE, FUGUE News for Friends of Leonard Bernstein RIFFS Spring/Summer 2001 Celebrating Bernstein n Tuesday, July 10, the United States Postal Service will pay tribute to the memory of Leonard Bernstein by issuing the Leonard Bernstein commemora­ tive postage stamp at a New York Philharmonic Concert in New York's Central Park. The Philhar­ monic will feature violinist Joshua Bell and conductor William Eddins performing the New York premiere of WEST SIDE STORY SUITE arranged by William Brohn. The program will also include the CANDIDE OVERTURE and Symphony No. 5 by Sergei Prokofiev. Prior to the performance the United States Postal Service will dedicate the stamp commemorat­ ing Leonard Bernstein. Stamp collectors will be able obtain the "first day of issue" stamp at post offices and in special mobile units in Central Park that day. Grammy Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell's latest recording will premiere this new concert work for violin and orchestra based on the score of the musical theater classic. The recording with David Zinman conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra (London) also intro­ duces a new arrangement of "Make Our Garden Grow," the finale from the Bernstein musical CANDIDE. The arrangement (continued on page 2) In this issue ... Pacific Music Festival 2001 Opening ... page 4 Celebrating Bernstein, continued To Our (continued from page 1) The music seems to transcend the was created for Bell by Academy time in which it was created, and Readers Award-winning composer John that is, by definition, what makes Corigliano. This new recording it a great classic." also introduces new arrangements Commissioned by Sony Classical for violin and orchestra of two for Bell, the WEST SIDE STORY Bernstein favorites from the musical SUITE was created by the Tony s another summer rolls ON THE TOWN: New York, Award-winning arranger and New York and Lonely Town. orchestrator William David Brohn, around, the sound of The CD also includes a perform­ in a free adaptation of the songs Bernstein music fills the air all ance of Bernstein's SERENADE and melodies from Bernstein's over the world. An unprecedented FOR VIOLIN AND ORCHES­ score for the 1957 Broadway number of Bernstein works are TRA. Bell recently remarked, musical, which became an Oscar­ scheduled for performance; our "Bernstein, as a composer, was a winning film four years later. genius, and WEST SIDE STORY Bell worked closely with Brohn Calendar of Events is bursting brilliantly connected classical on the development of the new at the seams! Of particular music and popular culture. When arrangement and created his own note is a Japanese production of I revisited this music and we made cadenza as well. In creating the CANDIDE- performed in the arrangement, I realized how WEST SIDE STORY SUITE, subtle, complex and innovative Brohn enjoyed the full support of Japanese. What a translation job the score was, in technical ways. the Bernstein Estate and Sid Ramin, that must have been! who is artistic advisor to the On the Internet, Leonard Estate and was Bernstein's Bernstein's presence continues to The music seems to orchestrator for the Broadway production of WEST SIDE STORY. grow. Among other things, you transcend the time in which WEST SIDE STORY SUITE will can read this very publication at it was created, and that is, be released from Sony Classical leonardbernstein.com, as well as on Tuesday, June 19, 2001. • visit the "Lenny Store." The newly by definition, what makes it launched westsidestory.org is full a great classic. of interesting goodies, and teachers can now take an online course offered by the Bernstein Center in conjunction with the Grammy Foundation and Drake University. In July, the U.S. Post Office will issue a Leonard Bernstein postage stamp. The dedication will take place during a New York Philharmonic outdoor concert in Central Park, where Joshua Bell will perform the new WEST SIDE STORY SUITE for violin and orchestra, created especially for Mr. Bell by William Brohn. What a perfectly festive summer event. We're packing our picnics already. ].B.T. • The Leonard Bernstein Center be offered in May and June of Foundation and Recording 2001 and is open to educators Academy®President/CEO and teachers around the country Michael Greene. "We are thrilled for graduate credit through that this partnership with Drake University. Skylight and Drake will allow he Leonard Bernstein Center Offered for the first time, teachers around the country to continues to grow under the "Learning Is a Work of Art" pro­ infuse the arts into math, science energetic leadership of the vides course participants with or history, giving our young Grammy Foundation. Eleven creative and powerful tools to people new and unconventional new schools will be undergoing engage young people in the learning ways of learning." professional development this process. Throughout the 16-week Course participants move from summer, with full implementation course, educators examine their studying the framework, cogni­ in the fall. They include eight own skills and intuitions as artists, tive learning theory, and brain schools in Los Angeles, and one teachers, and scholars and investi­ research to applying this new each in Broward County, FL, gate how combining these roles knowledge to their own teaching Lennox School District in CA, can enhance teaching and learning and planning. The online avail­ and PS 229 in New York City. by using the "Artful Learning" ability of the course also allows In addition, Skylight framework for planning and teachers to interact with their Professional Development and assessment. Internet peers. Throughout their Drake University, through a new "Leonard Bernstein's belief academic and artistic work, the partnership with the GRAMMY that 'a great teacher is one who course participants share ideas, Foundation's Leonard Bernstein can light a spark in you ... setting practices, and materials through Center for Learning®(LBC), have you afire with enthusiasm' is the Internet galleries, discussion established a professional devel­ underlying philosophy of the groups, and chat rooms. opment online learning course for Artful Learning approach and is To register, individuals can call educators titled "Learning Is a fundamental to learning any 1.800.348.4474 or go online at Work of Art." This course will discipline," said GRAMMY www.skylightedu.com. • The Bernstein Family Foundation he Bernstein Education Through the Arts (BETA) Fund has a new name; it is now The Bernstein Family Foundation. While still supporting arts and education programs, the foundation will be broadening its mission to include ( other causes dear to Leonard Bernstein and his family. Please note that The Bernstein Family Foundation will not be accepting grant proposals. • Alexander B1. ,,. .. Nina Bernstein Simmons Jamie Bernstein Thomas Opening of Pacific Music Festival 2001 chairman of the faculty; Wen-Pin two programs, under the direction Chien, resident conductor; of Maestro Dutoit, will feature Chantal Juillet, head of chamber Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique music; Lowell Liebermann, and Stravinsky's The Rite of composer-in-residence; and prin­ Spring. Maestro Yutaka Sado, cipal players of the Vienna who helped to launch the festival Philharmonic, Montreal Symphony in 1990 with his mentor, Leonard Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Bernstein, will conduct the final Los Angeles Philharmonic and set of concerts, including Brahms' Concertgebouw Orchestra. The Symphony No. 3. In addition, by Kazu Tsuchihashi efforts of these distinguished artists PMF Orchestra members will are supported by the financial perform chamber music and sing the majestic fanfare that backing of more than 130 corpo­ chamber orchestra concerts and Leonard Bernstein wrote U rate sponsors, 800 individual will participate in the "Pacific exactly four decades ago for New sponsors, and 60 volunteers from Soundings" program, a concert York's High School of Music and Sapporo and other areas of featuring the music of Composer­ Art, the Pacific Music Festival Hokkaido - not to mention the in-Residence Lowell Liebermann. will open its twelfth season under thousands of warm-hearted A special event this summer the artistic directorship of Maestro Hokkaido citizens who lend their will be a fully staged streetside Charles Dutoit on July 7, 2001. support by attending the many performance in downtown Despite the difficulties of lean concerts and events. Sapporo of Stravinsky's A economic times worldwide, the The PMF Orchestra, the pri­ Soldier's Tale conducted by mission and realization of the mary focus of the festival, is Dutoit with violinist Juillet and festival is being carried on with comprised of nearly 120 promising members of the faculty. For more the vision of Maestro Dutoit and musicians from 28 countries - information: www.pmf.or.jp • the distinguished faculty, including from Venezuela to Malaysia to Professor Peter Schmid!, artistic Viet Nam to Bulgaria. The first r, PMF Orchestra g j Conductor [ ,s· Wen-Pin Chien ~ ~· ~ (Sumida [ Triphony Hall, Tokyo) .,, iil i: c.. !"..., C: IO C: (I) I!" :,:i ~ V, ~s · '§; C 3 3 ~ N 0 0 e On Directing Leonard Bernstein's CANDIDE CANDIDE broadway musical 2001 by Amon Miyamoto in Japanese few years ago in the Library A of Performing Arts at Lincoln Center I viewed Leonard Bernstein's CANDIDE for the first time. It was not a real performance, but a videotape of the 1997 Broadway production. Nonetheless, it was more than enough to strike me with its superbly adventurous and life-affirming qualities. Later I had a chance to see a stage performance of a different pro­ duction in Los Angeles, and again I was impressed at how this masterpiece could reveal such different facets, depending upon the production and version. Since CANDIDE has different incarnations, it contains abundant challenges for a director. I will be nate the elaborate trappings of CANDIDE may seem to be staging the Scottish Opera version. Voltaire's time in order to concen­ Voltaire's genius for penetrating trate on expressing the baser and esoteric at first glance, but I the foibles of human nature better instincts of human nature.