in may 1986, only weeks before his graduation from the curtis institute, stern auditioned for and won the job of conducting assistant at the cleveland orchestra, where the music director was christoph von dohnányi. the audition and the position were both organized under the aegis of the exxon/arts endowment conductor's program. stern officially was named a full assistant conductor the following season, and stayed with the orchestra until 1991. in september 1986, he debuted at the new york philharmonic as one of three young conductors whom leonard bernstein invited to participate in a conducting workshop which culminated in two concerts at avery fisher hall.