Leonard Bernstein never saw music as something that belonged only in the concert hall.
“I want to be able to make music that’s good enough for the gods and yet simple enough for the people,” he told Time magazine in 1958. That philosophy practically bursts from every bar of Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, his 1960 orchestral suite adapted from the groundbreaking Broadway musical.
The Symphonic Dances are far more than a musical souvenir — they’re a full-bodied retelling of West Side Story through sound alone, taking the musical’s iconic melodies and sculpting them into a vivid, rhythm-charged symphonic narrative.
“The Dances were a chance to let the orchestra speak the story,” said Bernstein in 1961. “No lyrics. No scenery. Just sound. And that sound had to move.”
Structured as nine linked movements, Bernstein doesn’t just rearrange the play’s scenes — he reimagines them for the concert stage, using a kaleidoscope of colours and rhythms. Bernstein pulled from everywhere: Latin jazz, bebop, classical counterpoint, even hints of Stravinsky and Mahler.
“This is the melting pot of American music,” said conductor Marin Alsop in a 2018 NPR interview. “You hear cultures colliding — and that’s the point.”
The work’s opening snaps with tight jazz harmonies and stabbing brass, while the Mambo section is a percussive riot as the orchestra literally shouts along with the driving rhythm.
“It’s a joyride,” said violinist Midori Goto in a 2016 masterclass. “But it’s also dangerous — you have to stay sharp. Bernstein’s rhythms don’t let you coast.”
What makes the Symphonic Dances more than just a musical highlight reel is the emotional arc it preserves. From the aggressive street tension of the Prologue to the wistful longing of Somewhere, the music captures the human drama at the core of West Side Story.
To bring all this to life, Bernstein called for a supercharged orchestra. It includes expanded woodwinds, heavy brass, a jazz-infused rhythm section plus a whole arsenal of Latin percussion: timbales, bongos, cowbells, maracas – you name it.
“It’s a percussionist’s playground,” said composer John Corigliano, who worked with Bernstein at the New York Philharmonic in the 1960s. “There are moments where the rhythm section becomes the star of the show.”
“Symphonic Dances is a masterwork of musical storytelling,” wrote music journalist Alex Ross in 2007. “It captures the volatility and passion of West Side Story with vivid orchestral colour.”
Whether it’s your first time hearing Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances or your hundredth, you’re sure to be swept away by the energy and power of AdYO’s young musicians as they take you on a journey through this powerhouse work.
Hear our senior orchestra perform Symphonic Dances from West Side Story at Mambo! AdYO Plays Bernstein at Elder Hall on 14 June 2025. Book now!
