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Elizabeth Foreman
Beth Foreman grew up in rural Connecticut and attended Oberlin College,
with a double major in English and voice. She came to New York in 1987.
How long have you worked at Juilliard, and what do you remember about your
first day?
I started at Juilliard on January 18, 1988, as associate director of
admissions. It was a quiet day, during which I met several staff members who
are still with Juilliard, and became acquainted with Juilliard's Admissions
Office. I had come from Oberlin College and Conservatory admissions.
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| Beth Foreman in high school. |
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What job at Juilliard would you like to try out for a day and why?
Scene-shop painting. I imagine it to be creative and restful. And the
production staff are fun folks to work with.
What is the strangest job you've ever had and what made it strange?
I worked for the famous jeweler on Fifth Avenue, Van Cleef and Arpels. It was
very interesting. They had files on all the great opera singers. What was
strange is that we sat around all day doing nothing but wearing very expensive
jewelry and waiting for customers to come through the door.
If out of the blue your boss said to take the day off, what would you do
with your free time?
Take a voice lesson or yoga class, take a good book to the beach, or spend
more time with my two daughters, Anne and Claire, and husband Steve (who
earned his master's degree from Juilliard in 1990 and currently teaches in MAP
and Pre-College). Or all!
Do you have a background in music, dance, or drama? Are you actively
pursuing it?
Yes. I started singing when I was 8, as a soloist in church and at school. I
studied at Oberlin and pursued singing seriously until my first daughter was
born in 1991.
What kind of performances do you prefer to attend and why?
Song recitals and concerts. I love all kinds of songwriting: classical, folk,
jazz, American popular song. The expression of melody and text together is
what made me a singer many years ago, and what I still appreciate most today
in vocal music. I also love dance and orchestral repertoire, and everything
Bach ever wrote.
What other pursuits are you passionate about?
My children and family life, hiking and biking, yoga and other spiritual
pursuits. I am most motivated and inspired by people rather than things or
activities. Even my passion for music is very connected to the people with
whom I collaborate—at one time as a performer, and now as someone who makes it
possible for other singers to perform. The faculty, staff, singers, and
colleagues at Juilliard are behind all the music, and for me, inseparable from
it.
What was the best vacation you've had and what made that trip so special?
Going to New Zealand for a friend's wedding. The countryside was so
exquisitely beautiful and uncluttered.
What is your proudest accomplishment in life?
I don't have one. When my children are grown and making good contributions to
society, then I will have an accomplishment—but then, of course, the
accomplishment will be theirs, and not mine!
What might people be surprised to know about you?
I sang in a rock-and-roll band when I was 14. We did school dances and
nightclubs. I was the only girl in the band and I passed for 18, which was the
entrance age by law in my state at that time. (But I didn't drink; just sang!)
Soon after, I developed an edge to my voice, also due to belting in Broadway
musicals. My mother "made" me take voice lessons to correct the problem. That
was my introduction to classical music.
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