Leonard Bernstein

Leonard Bernstein was an American composer of classical and popular music, a music educator, conductor, songwriter and pianist. He studied at two of the finest educational institutions in the U.S., namely Harvard University and Curtis Institute of Music. Bernstein became the musical director and conductor of the New York Philharmonic and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972. One of his most famous work is the musical "West Side Story." With lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, "West Side Story" was loosely based on Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."

This Day in Music History: 1887 - Jenny Lind, a soprano, passed away. She was referred to as the "Swedish Nightingale." Her first major performance was in 1838 in the role of Agathe in Carl Maria von Weber's Der Freischütz. She made her American debut on September 11, 1850 at the Castle Garden Theatre in New York City.