More than any other conductor, Leonard Bernstein had American music in his blood. Its inspired mix of diverse ethnic elements was the subject of his brilliant Harvard thesis, and the unmistakable style of his lifelong friend, that most quintessential American composer Aaron Copland, is clearly echoed in Bernstein's own esteemed compositions. This ideal program features a great American orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, in three of the most beloved and representative American concert pieces: George Gershwin's jazzy Rhapsody in Blue, Samuel Barber's moving Adagio for Strings, and Copland's beloved ballet celebrating the American pioneer spirit, Appalachian Spring.