=Biography=

Justin Locke is a unique and entertaining speaker. In his humorous presentations, he shares stories from his days as a bass player with the Boston Pops, as related in his book, "Real Men Don't Rehearse." Along with being a most entertaining story teller, he also offers a first hand look into the culture of top performers . . . in the most literal sense. His presentations on management (based on his book "Principles of Applied Stupidity") explain how the best conductors got optimal results by going against the conventional wisdom.

In his 18 seasons of playing with the Boston Pops, Justin worked with many of the greatest conductors of our time, including Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Fiedler, Henry Mancini, and John Williams. He is no stranger to the limelight; the thousands of concerts he played include the 1976 Bicentennial Concert with Arthur Fiedler, which is in the Guinness Book of World Records as having the largest audience ever at a classical music concert.

Justin is also the author of two musical plays: "Peter VS the Wolf" and "The Phantom of the Orchestra." These programs for family concerts have been performed for hundreds of thousands of children on four continents, in six languages.

Justin is an active professional speaker and would love to appear at your next event. Having worked "in the trenches" of the bass sections of major orchestras, as well as exporting family concert programming around the globe, Justin brings a refreshingly down to earth, and often laugh-out-loud, look at the world of professional performance, and how the culture and lessons of that world can be used in your life and your organization. Visit his website for sample videos and more.

"Real Men Don't Rehearse" is an amusing inside look at the usually hidden and secret world of professional orchestras. It is filled with dozens of humorous tales of musician antics and concert meltdowns. Outsiders are rarely allowed such access, but at last you can have your own personal tour of the mystical and magical realm of professional orchestras and the people who play in them. "Real Men Don't Rehearse" was written by Justin Locke, who spent 18 seasons as a professional freelance double bassist in Boston. He played with the Boston Symphony and the Boston Pops, as well as for ballets, operas, and Broadway shows. He is also well known in the symphonic world as the author of "Peter VS. the Wolf" and "The Phantom of the Orchestra," which are internationally acclaimed programs for orchestra family concerts. This is the perfect gift for your favorite music lover! This is a book no musical library should be without!