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Greta Berman
A native New Yorker, Greta Berman spent three years in Sweden
while earning her master's degree in art history from the University
of Stockholm. After receiving a Ph.D. from Columbia, she taught
art history at SUNY-Stony Brook for eight years before coming to
Juilliard, where she has been a faculty member since 1979.
Greta Berman dislays her “killer instinct” on the tennis court. |
What's the most satisfying aspect of teaching for you?
Students' excitement and enthusiasm; knowing that they have grown
and enriched their lives through my classes and their contact with
me and each other.
What's the most frustrating aspect of teaching for you?
Students who don't care, who don't show up. Rehearsals and gigs
scheduled during class time.
Who was the teacher or mentor who most inspired you when
you were growing up and what did you learn from that person?
Probably Rudolf Cooper, my English teacher at the High School of
Music and Art. He could be mean to those who didn't measure up,
but he loved me—and pushed us all very hard to organize, write,
read, and care about reading, literature, and the arts.
If you could have your students visit any place in the
world, where would it be and why?
Paris, Venice, Rome, Florence—because much of the art we study
is in these cities, and it would be so exciting for them to see
and experience the art first-hand.
Do you have a background in music, dance, or drama? Are
you actively pursuing it?
Yes, of course. Don't we all? I was a voice major at Music and Art,
and still sing (at present, in the Juilliard Choral Union). I studied
dance throughout my childhood, and hung out at stage doors. And
I acted throughout elementary and high school (and still do—but
mostly in class).
What other pursuits are you passionate about?
Tennis, yoga, good food, good friends. Travelling, speaking other
languages.
Who are your favorite authors and why?
Dostoevsky, Nabokov, Shakespeare, Kundera, Wolf, Wolfe, Mann, most
poets—Why? Life wouldn't be nearly as rich without these and
countless more!
If you suddenly had an hour of free time, how would you
spend it?
Depends on the weather and my energy level at the time. With the
exhilarating spring just appearing, I'd definitely go outdoors—play
tennis, take a walk, smell the flowers. If not so great weather,
I might stop in at Barnes & Noble, get a cup of coffee, and
read the paper.
What is your proudest accomplishment in life?
Teaching—I feel like an artist who plays an instrument, dances,
or paints or sculpts. The longer I do it, the better I feel about
it. Although I would like to be a great singer, dancer, or actor,
I have accepted that my artistry is in my teaching—and I am
proud to have reached hundreds (thousands?) of students over the
years.
What would people be surprised to know about you?
I can stand on my head, I have a killer instinct in tennis, and
I speak fluent Swedish.
| Next
Month:
Ray Mase, trumpet faculty member. |
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