Bernstein at 100 Exhibit Opens at NEC

October 9, 2018

NEC hosts exhibit through November 11, which features personal items and interactive experiences celebrating Leonard Bernstein's centennial.

New England Conservatory recently opened the New England premiere of Leonard Bernstein at 100, an exhibition curated by the GRAMMY Museum®. It will remain on display through November 11, joining the world-wide 100th birthday celebration of composer, conductor, and educator Leonard Bernstein.

Leonard Bernstein at 100 exhibit installed at NEC's Burnes Hall. A piano is visible on the left with other items on display in the rest of the hall.

Celebrating one of America’s greatest composers and conductors, the exhibit draws from more than 150 photographs, personal items, papers, scores, correspondence, costumes, furniture, and films in a comprehensive retrospective of Bernstein's life and career.

A photo of a conductor baton on display in the Leonard Bernstein at 100 exhibit.

Visitors to the exhibit will see Bernstein’s baton, his first childhood piano, the desk used to compose West Side Story, handwritten score sheets for songs from West Side Story including “America,” “Tonight,” “Maria,” and more.

Leonard Bernstein's writing desk with sheet music, as displayed in Leonard Bernstein at 100 exhibit, on display in NEC's Burnes Hall.

Leonard Bernstein's worn piano bench, on display in the Leonard Bernstein at 100 exhibit at New England Conservatory's Burnes Hall.

In addition to objects and the multi-media presentations, the exhibit includes interactive displays, designed to allow the visitor to access Bernstein's creative mind and music legacy.

A visitor tries the interactive conducting experience at the Leonard Bernstein at 100 exhibit, on display in NEC's Burnes Hall.

In one interactive experience, visitors step into Bernstein's conducting shoes and lead the New York Philharmonic, while in another, a vocal booth beckons visitors to sing lead in West Side Story.

A tuxedo and other costume items, on display in the Leonard Bernstein at 100 exhibit at New England Conservatory's Burnes Hall.

Throughout the run of the exhibit, NEC College and Prep students will also offer Bernstein-themed concerts in tribute to the Boston native and Prep alumnus. Performance highlights include Bernstein’s comic operetta Candide and excerpts from West Side Story in several different arrangements.