New Leaders Join Vocal Arts

Associate artistic directors appointed

Justina Lee and Adam Nielsen will play key new roles in the Ellen and James S. Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts, Brian Zeger (MM ’81, piano), artistic director, has announced. Lee will be associate artistic director of the Bachelor of Music program and Nielsen has been named associate artistic director of the Master of Music and Graduate Diploma (MMGD) program.

In her position, pianist and coach Lee will oversee all artistic and curricular components of undergraduate education, providing an important through line for students as they pursue their bachelor’s degrees. A graduate of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, Lee holds degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and the Manhattan School of Music. She’s currently principal coach at the Maryland Opera, where she’s been on the faculty since 2008. Lee has also served as assistant conductor, pianist, and coach for many professional companies including the Met, Washington National Opera, Seattle Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, and Wolf Trap Opera Company. A busy recitalist, she performs with artists including Lawrence Brownlee, who’s a distinguished visiting faculty member at Juilliard, and Lisette Oropesa.

Nielsen has been a coach, pianist, and assistant conductor at Juilliard since 2011. In his new role, he will partner with Zeger in the long-range planning and day-to-day artistic and academic operations of the department, with a particular focus on overseeing the curriculum for students in the master’s and graduate diploma programs. A sought-after recitalist, he also works regularly on the music staffs of many companies including the Met, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Chicago Lyric, Dallas Opera, American Repertory Theater, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Lee and Nielsen will both play key roles in recruitment and admissions including partnering with Zeger on programming as well as coaching and advising students. Each will work in an interim capacity this spring and will become full-time in July. “Please join me in congratulating and welcoming both of these talented educators in their new roles in Vocal Arts at Juilliard,” Zeger said.