Music director of the New York Philharmonic thumb|left|Bernstein at the piano, annotating a musical score, 1955 Bernstein was appointed the music director of the New York Philharmonic in 1957, sharing the post jointly with Dimitri Mitropoulos until he took sole charge in 1958. Bernstein held the music directorship until 1969 when he was appointed "Laureate Conductor". He continued to conduct and make recordings with the orchestra for the rest of his life. Bernstein's television teaching took a quantum leap when, as the new music director of the New York Philharmonic, he put the orchestra's traditional Saturday afternoon Young People's Concerts on the CBS Television Network. Millions of viewers of all ages and around the world enthusiastically embraced Bernstein and his engaging presentations about classical music. Bernstein often presented talented young performers on the broadcasts. Many of them became celebrated in their own right, including conductors Claudio Abbado and Seiji Ozawa; flutist Paula Robison; and pianist André Watts. From 1958 until 1972, the 53 Young People's Concerts comprised the most influential series of music education programs ever produced on television. They were highly acclaimed by critics and won numerous Emmy Awards.
MusiC dirECtor OF ThE neW YOrk philHaRMoNIc tHumb|Left|beRnSTein at the PiaNo, anNoTating a musical scoRE, 1955 beRnStEin was AppoInted the mUSic DirEctor oF thE NeW york phILHarMonic in 1957, ShARing the poSt JOinTlY wiTh dImITri miTROpOulos UNtil He TOOK Sole chaRgE in 1958. bernstEin hELd The mUsic DIrectOrshIP untiL 1969 wHen hE wAs appoInted "LauReaTe cONducTor". he continued to coNduct and mAkE rECordiNgS with ThE orChEstRA fOR the rest of hIS lIfe. berNstEIn's telEvisiON teachiNG tOOk A quANtUm leap wheN, as the nEw musIc DIrector OF tHe new yorK phIlharmoNIC, He put The OrChestrA's tradiTIoNal SaturDay aFteRnooN yoUNg people'S coNceRts on The CbS telEvIsion netwoRK. millioNs of ViEweRs of AlL agEs And arounD thE world EntHusIAsticaLly emBrACeD beRnsTein And his engaGing presEntAtionS aboUt cLaSsICal MusIc. bernstEin oFTEN PrESenteD tAleNTeD young peRformERs oN the broadcasts. mAny of Them becAmE celEbraTed in theIr own rIgHt, inclUdinG conducToRS claudIo AbBadO and seijI ozawa; FlUtIST Paula robiSon; AnD pIanIST aNdré WAtts. frOm 1958 uNtIL 1972, the 53 yOUng PeopLe's Concerts CoMpriSEd the mosT inFlueNTIal sEries Of music EdUcation pROgrams EvER prOduceD on TeLEvisioN. thEY WERE HIghly aCCLAimed by CriTics and Won nUmERous EMmy awards.