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At Julliard, tomorrow’s great artists taught to look beyond the stage
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AS the president of the world-famous Juilliard School since 1984, 69-year-old Joseph Polisi believes that it is important for art students to not only excel in their majors, but also to advocate for art in their communities.
“The time when just getting the notes right was the only goal has long gone. This is a different world, a different society, and we have great expectation for our artists,” says Polisi.
A bassoonist as well as music educator, Polisi was recently in Shanghai for the release of the Chinese version of his book “The Artist as Leader.” While in town, he shared his views on what makes a successful artist in the 21st century.
As he sees it, great artists today should not only master the tools and techniques of their craft, they should also share art with those around them, particularly those who may have limited art knowledge. To achieve this goal, they should educate themselves about society, politics, culture, economics and the skills that connects them to their community.
With such beliefs, Polisi is credited with bringing new vitality to Juilliard since his arrival three decades ago. He introduced new student services, alumni programs, and a revised curriculum that emphasizes humanities and liberal arts. His tenure has also witnessed the creation of an exchange program with Columbia University and Barnard College, a new commitment to community outreach, a school-wide initiative to develop interdisciplinary programs, and the development of a mentoring program open to all students.
Before getting his doctor of musical arts degree from Yale University, Polisi earned a degree in political science from the University of Connecticut and another in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.
“Being a graduate student, not in music first, helped me better understand why other skill sets were necessary for musicians,” says Polisi.
Polisi’s vision of an expanded liberal arts curriculum is based on the notions that musicians, just like everybody else, need to write and speak clearly, and think analytically and effectively. This orientation was later widened to include the study of literature, history and issues that the students see every day in human relations. Juilliard students are also strongly encouraged to get engaged in programs outside the school.
‘There to communicate’
Jennifer Liu, a violin student at Juilliard, was greatly touched when she noticed a disabled youngster moving to the sound of her music as she performed for patients at a children’s hospital.
“That was the first movement of the child in four weeks,” says Liu, “and I was so thrilled that I could have shared that moment with her.”
Polisi believes that students who participate in such programs outside the conservatory become better artists.
“They become more communicative. They become more engaged with their audience. This is the important thing that we have to emphasize. Artists are there to communicate with other people. They are not there to get their notes right,” says Polisi.
With Juilliard already recognized as a leader in arts’ education in the US, Polisi plans to bring the school’s successful formula to more students worldwide. He helped found Juilliard Global Ventures in 2014, as a major initiative to provide access to Juilliard education in new locations and with a wide array of learners through site-based and digital education opportunities. And with about 10 percent of current Juilliard students coming from China, Polisi sees huge potential for musical arts in the country.
Tianjin Juilliard School, a branch campus authorized by the Chinese Ministry of Education, was announced last year as a major component of Juilliard Global Ventures. It is expected to open in 2019.
The Tianjin school will provide a graduate program offering master’s degrees of music in orchestral performance, chamber music performance and collaborative piano. According to Polisi, these degrees will offer the sort of comprehensive education that is needed in China.
“We are not here to compete with what already is happening in China. We wanted to compliment these activities,” he says.
Apart from educating students through an on-going relationship with New York faculty, who will visit regularly and work with their resident peers from around the world, the Tianjin Juilliard School will emphasized values like excellence, discipline and focus. These values are also stressed at the school’s New York campus. And according to Polisi, it is equally important for students in China to engage themselves off stage.
“I think this idea of having responsibility off stage in the community is something that’s perhaps new to China. And I am hoping that you know at the Tianjin Juilliard School, we will have these values and we will have these programs actually functioning. So I expect Tianjin Juilliard School students to go out into the community in Tianjin or Beijing or Shanghai or wherever they are and make a difference. That’s part of their responsibility,” says Polisi.
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