May 10, under the direction of Harry T. Burleigh, the Juilliard Student Club presented a program of discussions and performances celebrating African-American musicians. The following pieces were performed: Carl Diton's arrangement of "Keep Me from Sinking Down" by organist Carlette Thomas; Coleridge-Taylor's "Leonore" and "Thou Hast Risen, My Beloved" by mezzo-soprano Charlotte Wallace Murray; R. Nathaniel Dett's Juba Dance by pianist Loretta Anthony; Burleigh's "You Ask Me if I Love You" and "Tide" by soprano Anne Wiggins Brown; Coleridge-Taylor's African Dance II by violinist Richard Durant; Hall Johnson's arrangement of "City Called Heaven" and Willis Lawrence James's arrangement of "Cabin Boy" by soprano Ruby Elzy; Burleigh's arrangements of "Scandalize My Name" and "Go Down Moses" by contralto Carmen Shepperd; and Burleigh's arrangements of "Were You There" and "Sinner, Please Don't Let This Harvest Pass" by a vocal trio of Elzy, Brown, and Shepperd.

May 9, Serge Koussevitzky conducted the Juilliard Chorus and Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. The program included Beethoven's Egmont Overture and Symphony No. 9, with soprano Mariquita Moll, contralto Margaret Roggero, tenor John Druary, and bass Harry Wayne as soloists. Beyond Juilliard May 16, Dean Dixon and the Columbia Broadcasting System Symphony Orchestra in New York premiered Wallingford Riegger's Symphony No. 3 and Quincy Porter's Concerto for Viola and Orchestra. Riegger's symphony received the Naumburg Award and the New York Music Critics Circle Award.

Debra Zalkind, Gregory Mitchell, and Gretchen Langstaff in Doris Humphrey’s Lament for Ignacio Sanchez Mejias. Photo by Milton Oleaga May 17 and 19, the Juilliard Dance Ensemble presented a program in memory of former faculty member Doris Humphrey. The program featured Humphrey's The Shakers; Day on Earth set to Aaron Copland's Piano Sonata; Lament for Ignacio Sanchez Mejias based on the poem by Federico García Lorca with music by Norman Lloyd; and Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor with music by J.S. Bach. José Limón directed the program, with Letitia Ide and Billie Mahoney assisting. Beyond Juilliard May 1, Jacob Druckman won the Pulitzer Prize for music, for his orchestral work Windows.

May 22, Juilliard presented its first honorary doctorates at the School's 82nd commencement. The six honorees were Martha Hill, founder of the Dance Division; John Houseman, first head of the Drama Division; violinist Itzhak Perlman; soprano Leontyne Price; Mrs. John D. Rockefeller III, arts patron and Juilliard board of trustees member; and William Schuman, composer and Juilliard president from 1945 to 1961.

Jeni Dahmus is Juilliard’s archivist.