Stephen Clapp
Dean; Violin and Chamber Music Faculty

A native of Tallman, N.Y., Dean Clapp grew up in Ramsey, N.J. and attended Juilliard's Preparatory (now Pre-College) Division. He earned a bachelor's degree at Oberlin before returning to Juilliard for his master's degree. While teaching violin at Peabody College in Nashville, he was first violinist of the Blair Quartet. He moved to Austin in 1972 to teach at the University of Texas, then taught at Oberlin from 1978 to 1990.

Stephen Clapp (right) with the late Isaac Stern, c. 1976. (Photo by Charles Abbott)

How long have you worked at Juilliard, and what do you remember about your first days?

As a violin faculty member starting in 1987, I worked one day a week at Juilliard, flying in weekly from Ohio while I taught at Oberlin until 1990. I started out with a small number of students, but had a studio for the whole day. In addition to teaching, I got to practice. I spent time in the library, and enjoyed hearing student performances. Simultaneously, I was dean of the Aspen Music Festival, which had an office on 54th Street. I walked between Juilliard and the Aspen office at least once a day during my first four years.

In contrast, my first days as associate dean were full of pressure—trying to get students to show up for orchestra rehearsals and practice their parts. I came in January, during a Mozart celebration period. Juilliard participated in a Lincoln Center project to perform every single note that Mozart had written. Particularly troublesome to me was an opera by Cimarosa, which included a short segment that Mozart had contributed. The conductor was also the editor of the score, and had totally professional expectations. But students did not see this as the plum assignment we thought it was. I can remember, on the first day, about half the violin section was missing. Of course I was asked, "What are you going to do about it?" I said, "Gee, I don't know. Guess I'll make some phone calls." In those days, most students thought their solo career aspirations made orchestra irrelevant; the morale among the members was not very strong. Now, there's a strong awareness that a wonderful orchestra job is a good career. The level of playing in all sections of both the Symphony and Orchestra is very high, and both ensembles play in Carnegie and Avery Fisher.

What are the most striking differences between Juilliard now and when you first started?

My earliest memories of Juilliard are when I came from Oberlin, a community of people who knew each other, into a collection of individuals who didn't know each other and really didn't have much interest in getting acquainted. I can remember sitting next to people in a classroom, and then, when I saw them a month later in the elevator, they looked through me. I was invisible. There was no communication or community at all. That's the biggest difference—Juilliard really is a community now.

How has your current position changed or evolved in the years you've been in it? What would students be surprised to learn about your job?

When I became associate dean in 1991, I knew what the job was. I assigned students to orchestras; I picked concert dates, conductors, and repertoire. I tried to ensure that chamber groups were organized, and that students who needed the credit for graduation were registered in a group. When I walked into the Dean's Office in 1994, I had no idea what my job was. My predecessor had been in charge of the Liberal Arts Department and was very involved in curriculum. He was head of the Doctoral Governance Committee as well. I'm just a fiddle player! As time goes by, I see that my job is people. I desire to bring people to a mutual understanding, if not agreement. If, in a policy decision, the result is not exactly what people want, I hope they can acknowledge that the result is at least fair. What would students be surprised to know? That I water the plants in the office twice a week, and still play concerts.

What was the best vacation you've had?

When the kids were young and we lived in Nashville and Austin, we were near the tropical beach, so as soon as the last day of classes came (and before Memorial Day, when the prices went up), we drove ourselves down first to Sarasota, Fla., and then South Padre Island in Texas. We rented a shack on the beach with a linoleum floor where you could track in sand and nobody complained, and just spent a week sitting out reading books, making sure the kids didn't get too sunburned or drown, doing nothing, and eating beer-boiled shrimp and other delicacies of the sea.

How do you balance your job and your artistic and other endeavors?

I have always been aware of the difficulties of wearing several hats: performer, teacher, husband, father—and now, administrator. I am aware that I don't give any of my constituents as much of my time as they want, so I have to figure out what is the tolerable level of displeasure that I inflict on the people I deal with.