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New Book by President Polisi Calls Artists to Action By AARON WUNSCH
During his 20 years as Juilliard's president, Joseph W. Polisi has had more than a few opportunities to raise his voice. In addition to his role as head communicator among the faculty, students, staff, and alumni of the School, Dr. Polisi often speaks to audiences outside Juilliard, including donors, music educators, governmental organizations, and the media. An assertive orator, Dr. Polisi often makes bold statements about the crucial importance of the arts and their ability to transform an often-lethargic American society. On one hand, his new book—a collection of essays and speeches titled The Artist as Citizen—offers the outsider an insightful and sometimes amusing window into the inner workings of Juilliard. On the other, it is a serious call to action addressed to artists themselves.
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| The cover of President Polisi's new book, The Artist as Citizen. |
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As the title of the book implies, Dr. Polisi strongly believes that artists must advocate for positive change in the arts and in their reception by the public. In a recent interview about the book, he explained: "I kept believing in a leitmotif of asking the artist to do more—not to take the status quo as adequate. Often artists can feel disenfranchised … but they need to realize their aura can be very powerful." Although his speeches and articles are filled with ultimately encouraging messages, his opinions about recent trends in American society tend to be highly critical. "I am troubled by the values of American society today," Dr. Polisi writes. In person, his voice becomes tinged with anger over the "pervasiveness of how the citizens of America are so lacking in a discerning way of looking at their lives." We are flooded by the sensory debris of the media, Internet, television, cell phones, and iPods. "There are very few times when we are not bombarded by powerful electronic elements," notes Dr. Polisi. Consequently, he adds, independent thought and the skill of critical judgment are on the wane. The end result is a "lethargy induced by the insistent thud of American popular culture."
Dr. Polisi sees exposure to great art as a way of escaping this rut. "The arts are a tool of sharpening perception about people, emotions, the environment," he explained. But their transformative power is often lost on a rather indifferent public that views them as yet another form of entertainment. In Dr. Polisi's view, the responsibility for sending a societal wake-up call falls on the shoulders of the artists themselves; it is they who must "counter a pervasive mediocrity born of an American popular culture that is fueled by a rampant international commercialism."
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In His Own Words …
In titling this volume The Artist as Citizen, I have wanted to emphasize my belief that artists of the twenty-first century, especially in America, must re-dedicate themselves to a broader professional agenda that reaches beyond what has been expected of them in an earlier time. Specifically, the twenty-first century artist will have to be an effective and active advocate for the arts in communities large and small around the nation. These artists must be not only communicative through their art, but also knowledgeable about the intricacies of our society—politically, economically, socially—so that they can effectively work toward showing the power of the arts to a nation and its people who are often uninformed about the arts and view these activities with suspicion, occasional disdain, and frequently as being irrelevant.
My second Robin [Williams] story relates to the time I tried to present an alumnus-of-the-year award to him in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hills Hotel. For twenty minutes, hysterical bedlam was generated by one of the great comedians and actors of our day. Improvisations on every possible topic ensured that I would melt into a laughing heap at the hotel lectern. Finally Robin became quiet. I saw my chance and quickly thrust the commemorative plaque into his hands. He seemed transformed, subdued, genuinely moved. I stepped away from the podium and he approached quietly, thoughtfully, almost reverentially. A long contemplative look at the plaque, and finally, his first words: "This is so cheap." Bedlam again happily for another ten minutes.
Copyright © 2005 by Joseph W. Polisi. Excerpts are from Joseph W. Polisi's new book, The Artist As Citizen, published by Amadeus Press. The book is available at the Juilliard Bookstore, www.amadeuspress.com, and other online bookstores.
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Easily said—but do they have time for this arduous calling? Playing devil's advocate, I suggested that mastering our instruments demands more than 100 percent of our time as it is. Furthermore, many of the greatest performers in history were nurtured by their societies, by patrons, and by audiences, allowing them the space needed to develop into mature artists.Dr. Polisi's response was to draw an analogy between an artist and a heart surgeon. Both put in many years of patient study. Ultimately, the surgeon will be qualified to make important judgment calls regarding not only surgery, but larger health risks and ramifications that may need to be conveyed to society at large. "If the F.D.A. is not picking up on the danger of a dietary problem, but the surgeon is," said Polisi by way of explanation, "it is her responsibility to advocate [for change]." While trained in surgery, she must thrust herself into the world beyond the operating room walls—and so must the artist thrust herself beyond the practice-room walls. "The best of our students can do both and will do both," Dr. Polisi declares. "All artists have to think about how they can do it."His analogy seemed convincing, but where to begin? "The starting point is to become informed [about society]," Dr. Polisi offers. "You must start stimulating the mind and asking, what can I do about it?" For Juilliard students, this process should begin now. "There has to be a personal commitment to education," he emphasizes, explaining that students must take responsibility for educating themselves and not expect teachers to spoon-feed them. "Unfortunately, there is very little self-knowledge that we have urged on our children."As explained in The Artist as Citizen, Dr. Polisi administered changes in the Juilliard curriculum intended to make the students well-rounded, informed individuals who are more prepared to face the curveballs that the world beyond Juilliard will throw at them. These changes include an expanded liberal arts program and a course he teaches each fall called American Society and the Arts. In his speeches, he has often defended these changes passionately. "Why should we expect our music students to analyze and understand great musical works if they have never experienced the rational, carefully planned inquiry with which an educated individual would properly approach the understanding of a great literary work or a composition in the visual arts?" asked Dr. Polisi in a faculty meeting back in 1985; the speech is included in the new collection.In reading through the book, one is struck by the consistency of Dr. Polisi's vision over the course of his 20-year tenure—both for the future of Juilliard and for expanding the importance and influence of the arts in society. One also encounters a number of delightful anecdotes about the School, such as how the Juilliard Orchestra came to record "The Star-Spangled Banner" for Yankee Stadium, and how a half-ton of topsoil found its way on and off (and on again!) the stage of the Juilliard Theater.As for the prospective artist-citizens reading his book, Dr. Polisi acknowledges that it won't provide all the answers. "This isn't a how-to book," he admits. Still, he hopes the messages it contains will trigger a proactive response. "It is saying: 'For God's sake, let's take a look at ourselves and not be pessimistic' … In that sense it is a call to action—what we have is of real value to American society."Aaron Wunsch is a D.M.A. candidate in piano.
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