Leonard Bernstein is one of the most important conductors in American history. As a conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian Bernstein maintained a lifelong involvement with Judaism, composing several works with religious themes including his Symphony No. 3 (“Kaddish”) and the Chichester Psalms, a choral work with Hebrew text. Come join Dr. Thomas Cimarusti, Professor of Music History at Florida Gulf Coast, as he explores Bernstein's music, his faith, and his hope for humanity. Participants are encouraged (but not required) to watch the recently released feature film Maestro as an introduction to the composer's life. Method of instruction: lecture presentation with excerpts played on the piano. A handout will be disseminated on the day of the lecture. Objective: to demonstrate how music can function to reinforce one's identity, religious convictions, and life philosophy.

Live In-Person with Video Catch-up. Available 2-3 business days after live lecture. You will have approximately two weeks to view the video.