Members of the Dance Division in a scene from “Event I” in 1970. (Photo by Edward Effron )

1933 February 23-25, the Juilliard Graduate School gave the New York premiere and second U.S. production of Monteverdi's Coronation of Poppea in a condensed version by Vincent d'Indy. Members of the Oratorio Society of New York and the New York University Glee Club performed in the choral ensemble. Coronation of Poppea was presented in a double bill with Puccini's one-act opera Gianni Schicchi in an English version by Percy Pitt.


1948 February 26, a 16-piece dance orchestra of Juilliard students debuted at the Manhattan Towers Grand Ballroom. Organized by Frank York, the jazz ensemble consisted of six brass players, five saxophonists, three percussionists, and Dorothy Free on vocals. Prior to the establishment of York's band, a few other attempts had been made to form a dance orchestra at Juilliard. In 1942, 22 students rehearsed as an extracurricular training group, but the ensemble was unable to perform due to financial impracticalities and union issues.


1970 February 26, the School presented "Event I," an environmental experimental project for 14 dancers, bicycle spokes, elevator, audience, cigarettes, Bartok's Piano Sonata, tape recorders, big open spaces, and ashtray. Through chance operations and composed outlines, eight choreographic studies were transformed in an interactive performance that began in a dance studio, traveled to the first floor lobby, and returned to the studio for its finale.


1994 February 23-24, the Juilliard Orchestra appeared in a star-studded production of "Roger Daltrey Sings Pete Townshend" at Carnegie Hall, arranged and conducted by alumnus Michael Kamen. Pete Townshend, John Entwistle, Linda Perry, the Chieftains, David Sanborn, Eddie Vedder, Lou Reed, Spin Doctors, Alice Cooper, and Sinead O'Connor were among the guest performers. A live recording titled A Celebration: The Music of Pete Townshend and the Who is available on the House of Blues label. Carnegie Hall was the first stop on Daltrey's 1994 touring project; other local orchestras were used for the remainder of the tour.

Jeni Dahmus is Juilliard's archivist.