Sarah Koo.

Juilliard. It seems as if people are constantly asking me, “Where do you go to school?” The most common responses I receive after I answer them are, “Ooh… like Fame, right?” or “Hey, you must be pretty good!” Occasionally I get a vacant look and then, “What kind of school is that?” I find it difficult to capture the essence of Juilliard in words. Yes, it is just one building. No, there is no actual campus; Lincoln Center and Manhattan are our campus. No, I no longer take mathematics or science courses. In fact, I am startlingly aware of the obsolescence of my once proficient knowledge of these fields, though at the same time, I feel a parallel consciousness in the augmentation of my artistic awareness. Juilliard, being a community of artists, with their inherent creativity and eccentricities, is an experience – sometimes positive, sometimes negative – in and of itself.

So here we are at Juilliard. As the returning students know, the inimitable nature of Juilliard does not ensure a departure from the typical – and inevitable – metamorphosis of a college student. Like students everywhere, we experience both painfully difficult times as well as supremely happy times. So what is inimitable about Juilliard? We witness, and are a part of, incredible (and some difficult) performances. At times we get frustrated with the progress of our artistry. We still get lost on the fourth and fifth floors (I certainly do). In the midst of it all, we learn that the opportunities for artistic and personal enrichment at the School are ubiquitous; they lie in interactions not only with the prestigious faculty, but also with our peers.

Welcome back to those returning, and congratulations on becoming the veterans. And to those just beginning the journey, best of luck in creating your Juilliard.

Sarah Koo, a fourth-year cellist, is a student of Ardyth Alton.

Voice Box is a student opinion column appearing regularly in The Juilliard Journal. If you are a College Division student and would like to submit a column for consideration, please e-mail it to journal@juilliard.edu, with "Voice Box" in the subject heading, and include a phone number where you can be reached. Columns should cover topics of interest to the Juilliard community, and must be no longer than 400 words. If your column is used, you will receive a $25 gift certificate to the Juilliard Bookstore.