First hour: What are you reading and what do you hope to read next?
Second hour: Discussing the new film, "Maestro," and the work of composer Leonard Bernstein
Summer Book Week is an annual Connections highlight, but reading is something we can all do year-round. For the holidays, guest host Scott Fybush returns with some of our favorite book people for a fun, interactive chat about what we're all reading and what books we're hoping to get for the holidays. Our guests:
- Henry Padrón-Morales, owner of Hipocampo Children's Books
- Mackenzie Reed, author
- Caitlin Larry, librarian at Brighton Memorial Library
- Kyle Semmel, literary translator and author
Then in our second hour, Classical 91.5 music director and host Mona Seghatoleslami leads a discussion about the remarkable Leonard Bernstein. Were he simply the composer of the iconic musical "West Side Story," Leonard Bernstein would be an important cultural figure. But of course, you have to add to that his years as music director of the New York Philharmonic (the first American-born conductor to lead a major American symphony orchestra); how he introduced an entire generation to the joys of classical music over the course of 53 "Young People's Concerts” on CBS; his revival of Gustav Mahler's symphonies; and his leading of classical concerts for important cultural touchstones, including memorials for JFK and celebration of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The new movie "Maestro" starring (and directed by) Bradley Cooper opposite Carey Mulligan, looks at Bernstein's life and legacy through a personal lens. It's a chance to delve into Bernstein's artistic legacy, consider the story the movie tells, and consider the many roles of the artist: creative, political, and personal. We discuss it all with our guests:
- Andreas Delfs, music director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
- Thomas Warfield, director of dance at RIT, and artistic director of PeaceArt International
- Brynn Tyszka, artistic director of Blackfriars Theatre
