Community Messages
September 4, 2018 | Convocation
What we are doing here today, I am realizing, is resembling a workshop as much as an event. And I think that is telling us something important as we mark the beginning of our school year. The Latin roots of the word “convocation” mean “to call us together” and so we are called, on this day and in this place, to start a new year and to begin the work, but actually to “re-begin.” To re-begin as we will all continue to do for the rest of the year, and indeed the rest of our lives. We are in fact always re-beginning, always building, always workshopping, the project is always ongoing, and what we have seen today has underscored those iterative qualities of artistic practice.
I have been reflecting on this extraordinary institution’s own practice. In many ways, this year will be marked with the rhythm of all the years before it: in performance halls and practice rooms, on stages and in small-group settings, we will aspire to perform at the highest caliber. We will harness our energy and our discipline—in honing our skills. Read more
July 1, 2018 | First Day in Office
Today, I have the great privilege of becoming Juilliard’s president, and I am so honored to join with you in creating the next chapter of this extraordinary institution.
Over the past year, I have spent my time preparing for this day by listening and learning. The faculty, students, staff, and alumni I have had the opportunity to speak with have graced me with their passionate commitment to Juilliard and its history, and with their ideas and aspirations for our school’s future. I am profoundly grateful to President Polisi, whose influence and example have been a guiding star for me; first in creating the road map for the life of artist as citizen, and now in this moment as we go forward into a new era at Juilliard. I am so appreciative of the guidance Joseph has given me, and I will continue to rely on him as he today becomes president emeritus and chief China officer, leading our efforts in Tianjin to the successful launch of Juilliard’s new global campus. All of us at Juilliard owe President Polisi a true debt of gratitude for his visionary leadership over the past 34 years. Read more