Juilliard President Joseph W. Polisi Announces Intention To Step Down In June 2018

NEW YORK, Oct. 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Joseph W. Polisi, Juilliard's sixth and longest-serving president, announced today that he will step down at the end of June 2018. Polisi will have been in office for 34 years, presiding over one of the most dynamic and successful eras in the school's history, one that is marked by steady expansion of Juilliard's activities within the school, into the broader community, and, especially in recent years, internationally. Juilliard's board of trustees has appointed a committee led by Board Chair Bruce Kovner to conduct the search for Polisi's successor.

Under Polisi's leadership, Juilliard evolved from a commuter school to one with a strong community and global reach that provides the highest caliber of arts education to students of dance, drama, and music. During his tenure, Polisi revitalized and broadened the curriculum to include an emphasis on entrepreneurship and social responsibility. His concept of "the artist as citizen" — the title of his 2005 collection of speeches exhorting performing artists to become informed, articulate, and involved arts advocates in the world community — has had ripple effects in arts education not only at Juilliard, but around the country and the world. Polisi is also credited with making the Juilliard experience accessible to a wider global audience by introducing a variety of online resources for remote learners and spearheading plans for The Tianjin Juilliard School in China.

"It has been an immense honor to help lead this distinguished institution in partnership with a motivated and generous board, a brilliant faculty, a dedicated administrative staff, and extraordinary classes of highly talented student artists," said Polisi. "Juilliard is a place that gives back to our global society by educating new generations of artists who enhance the enduring traditions embodied in the art forms of music, dance, and drama. I know that this important mission will flourish in the time ahead."

Highlights of the remarkable number and diversity of initiatives overseen by Polisi include:

• Creation of Historical Performance and Jazz Studies programs, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Drama
• Construction of Juilliard's first dormitory, the Meredith Willson Residence Hall
• A major renovation and expansion of the Juilliard building, adding nearly 40,000 square feet of additional space to the Irene Diamond Building at Lincoln Center
• Development of The Tianjin Juilliard School in China, for which he serves as board chair, and which will offer a U.S.-accredited master's degree – a first for any performing arts institution in China
• Formation of the Juilliard-Nord Anglia Performing Arts Program, a multifaceted collaboration involving an innovative arts education curriculum for students in grades K-12
• Digital educational initiatives including the development of Juilliard Open Studios apps, online courses, and other products for the consumer education market
• National and international touring programs for Juilliard's Dance, Drama, and Music Divisions, and the commissioning of hundreds of new music, dance, and drama works
• The Juilliard Manuscript Collection created through the donation of rare and invaluable items collected by Bruce Kovner
• Creation of the Alan D. Marks Center for Career Services and Entrepreneurship
• Creation of the Ellen and James S. Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts
• Extensive community engagement programs including the Morse and Gluck Fellowships and the Music Advancement Program
• Numerous and extensive scholarship programs including the Kovner Fellowship Program, which covers the full cost of attendance, and the Jerome L. Greene Fellowship program, the first to offer full-tuition scholarships across all divisions

Click here for Joseph W. Polisi's complete biography

About The Juilliard School
Founded in 1905, The Juilliard School is a world leader in performing arts education. Juilliard's mission is to provide the highest caliber of artistic education for gifted musicians, dancers, and actors from around the world so that they may achieve their fullest potential as artists, leaders, and global citizens.

Located at Lincoln Center in New York City, Juilliard offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in dance, drama (acting and playwriting), and music (classical, jazz, historical performance, and vocal arts). Currently more than 800 artists from 44 states and 42 countries are enrolled at The Juilliard School, where they appear in over 700 annual performances in the school's five theaters; at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully and David Geffen Halls and at Carnegie Hall; as well as other venues around New York City, the country, and the world.

Beyond its New York campus, Juilliard is defining new directions in global performing arts education for a range of learners and enthusiasts through The Tianjin Juilliard School, K-12 educational curricula, and an increasing array of digital education products through its Juilliard Open Education brand.

CONTACTS:
The Juilliard School
Alexandra Day
Gloria Gottschalk
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SOURCE The Juilliard School