West Side Maestro Vol. 1: A Musical Memoir of Leonard Bernstein-The Creative Spark
Robert Mandell is an American conductor whose career spans 65 years. Following three years as a scholarship conductor at Tanglewood studying with Leonard Bernstein, Bernstein appointed him his Special Music Assistant for both his Omnibus TV Lectures and a member of the creative team for the first two seasons of the televised NY Philharmonic Young People’s Concerts. His American career included Music Directorships of three symphony orchestras and annual series of concerts at both New York’s Carnegie Hall & Town Hall. As house conductor for Readers Digest Records from 1961-67, he recorded 40 long playing records in repertoire ranging from Bach to Broadway.   In 1968, he took up residence with his family in England and established himself with his Concerts For The Family conducting the Melachrino Strings and Orchestra in annual national tours and on BBC radio, television and recordings. He has been recognised in both the United States and UK as an authority on musical theatre for which he has served in the roles of both musical and stage director. He is at present at work on Volume 2 of his authoritative musical memoir of Leonard Bernstein which is scheduled for publication for Christmas 2012.