In honor of Leonard Bernstein’s 100th birthday, Tanglewood—the famed summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra—dedicated its entire 2018 season to the iconic composer, conductor, performer, educator and humanitarian. The festivities culminated on Bernstein’s centennial birthday on August 25, 2018, in a special celebrity-studded gala concert. Directed for the stage by James Darrah, The Bernstein Centennial Celebration at Tanglewood illuminates the breadth of Bernstein’s incredible life and career, which inspired generations of music lovers around the globe – from his talent as a composer to his generosity in mentoring other composers and musicians, his inimitable role as a driving musical force at Tanglewood for over 50 years and more.

In a pair of passionate performances, American composer Leonard Bernstein conducts the New York Philharmonic in Tchaikovsky's Symphony no. 4 and Andante Cantabile, then leads the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the Russian composer's Symphony no. 5. Russian violinist Boris Belkin also makes his American debut as the soloist in Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D Major.

Three big names from the classical music scene -- legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman, celebrated cellist Yo-Yo Ma and lauded opera singer Frederica Von Stade -- join the Prague Philharmonic Chorus and the Boston Symphony Orchestra in a once-in-a-lifetime performance of music by Czech composer Anton Dvorak. The musicians, led by renowned conductor Seiji Ozawa, give their all to highlight Dvorak's music in none other than his native Prague.

This video depicts Tanglewood in its very early years. It contains very rare footage of Serge Koussevitzky and Aaron Copland.

In 2025, the music world will commemorate the 50th anniversary of Dmitri Shostakovich's death. The Gewandhaus Orchestra is dedicating an entire festival to the great Russian composer, performing almost all of his instrumental works. A highlight is the performance of the Leningrad Symphony, which is still highly topical today in its warning against war and dictatorship.

To mark the 50th anniversary of Dmitri Shostakovich's death, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and the Boston Symphony Orchestra perform his Symphony No. 7, known as the ‘Leningrad’, a symbol of resistance against fascism.