Meet Our Donors

Scholarship gifts are critical in offering talented young artists the chance to study at Juilliard. Many who support our young artists have chosen to extend their impact by including scholarship gifts in their estate plans.

'With Nothing but Pride for My Years at Juilliard'

"I am a graduate of the most important program in dance education," says Juilliard alumnus Myron Nadel. "It was founded by our mentor and guide, Martha Hill. The program that she created, along with some of the greatest artists and educators, influenced most all dance curricula that followed."

A Juilliard Tradition: Giving For the Arts

Augustus D. Juilliard so loved music that he included a bequest in his will designated for the advancement of music. The Institute of Musical Art, The Juilliard School's precursor, was renamed in his honor. A textile merchant and arts patron, Augustus D. Juilliard wanted to make a lasting gift through his will that would foster the education of promising musicians. Although he himself was not a musician, he had a lifelong love of music.

Drama student Anya Whelan-Smith addressing the gathering.

Augustus Juilliard Society Members Gather for a Celebratory Luncheon

Members of the Augustus Juilliard Society joined with scholarship donors for a special performance by students from Juilliard’s Music, Dance, and Drama divisions, followed by a festive luncheon in Morse Hall on May 16.

A Juilliard Alumna Gives Back in Many Ways: Julie Anne Choi

Alumna Julie Anne Choi knows Juilliard better than most. She arrived as a first-year piano student, studying with Oxana Yablonskaya, and went on to receive both her bachelor's and master's degrees from the School. She later joined Juilliard's Board of Trustees and has been an instrumental leader since then, serving on the School's Executive Committee, the Trusteeship Committee, and the Education and Artistic Affairs Committee.

Giving Back–An Alumnus Strengthens the Juilliard Library

Trumpeter Donald Benedetti started his career with a bachelor’s degree from The Juilliard School, and is now giving back to Juilliard with a planned bequest to further strengthen the Donald A. Benedetti Library Fund, which he established in 2005. At Juilliard, he was a student of William Vacchiano, the legendary teacher and longtime trumpeter with the New York Philharmonic. In addition to studying at Juilliard, Don received his master’s degree and undertook doctoral studies at Columbia University.

Legacy Gifts in Action: The Marjorie Jackson Scholarship

Many of the scholarships available for Juilliard students exist thanks to legacy gifts. One that is making a big difference this year came from alumna Marjorie Jackson, who set up a charitable gift annuity with Juilliard in 2006. She designated that the proceeds of her annuity be awarded as a scholarship, and, after her passing last year at the age of 99, the Marjorie Jackson Scholarship was created.

Portraits in Philanthropy: Sally Stevens

Friends of Juilliard can be found around the world, and we know that their reasons for supporting the School are diverse. For members of the Augustus Juilliard Society, the inspiration to provide for the future of The Juilliard School in their long-term financial plans is just as varied. For Sally Stevens of Honolulu, Hawaii, it was a desire to honor those she loves.

Juilliard Receives Generous Scholarship Gift from the Estate of Elliott Carter

The music world lost a giant with the passing of groundbreaking composer Elliott Carter last November at the age of 103. He not only was one of the most important figures in contemporary music, but also was a beloved teacher, friend and mentor to many. A two-time recipient of the Pulitzer Prize in composition, Carter was a member of the Juilliard faculty from 1966 to 1984.

Bequests In Action

The Juilliard School received a generous gift from the Estate of Dorothy Lyon, to permanently endow the Alfred E. and Dorothy Lyon Scholarship, which is now making a Juilliard education possible for talented young artists. Dorothy Lyon moved from Bermuda to the United States in 1937, wed Alfred E. Lyon, former President and Chairman of Philip Morris and enjoyed traveling, gardening and volunteering. She had a deep appreciation for the arts and was a generous contributor to various charities. The Juilliard School is tremendously grateful that this scholarship will continue on in their honor. This year's fortunate and grateful recipients of the Alfred E. and Dorothy Lyon Scholarship are actor, Daniel Hernandez and violist, Jocelin Pan.

George and Julia Katz: Formative Experiences at Juilliard Inspire a Generous Gift

It is always a great pleasure to meet Juilliard alumni when they visit the School, particularly when they are as charming as alumnus George Katz and his wife Julia. George, who studied at Juilliard in the 50s, received both undergraduate and graduate degrees in piano.

Profiles in Philanthropy: Celia Paul and Stephen Rosen

Celia Paul and Stephen Rosen epitomize all that it means to be arts lovers. Longtime Juilliard supporters, they take advantage of all the School has to offer, attending performances in every division, registering for evening division classes, and participating in various membership groups.

A Passionate Patron Does Good for the School He Loves

Visiting Stanley Stangren's home is an art lover's dream. His passion for the visual arts is everywhere in evidence, most notably in his own creations in various media. A lifelong artist, his works range from sculptures and paintings, to drawings, silks and monoprints. To speak with him, you learn that he is also a passionate lover of the performing arts, and, as a young man, spent time studying dance at both the School of American Ballet and with Martha Graham. Although he worked with dance pioneers like Ms. Graham, Anna Sokolow and Charles Weidman, an injury prevented him from pursuing dance as a career. But he found other outlets for his artistic pursuits.

Profiles in Philanthropy: Edmund and Arlene Grossman

Edmund and Arlene Grossman are what you might call models of philanthropy. Committed audience members and donors at many nonprofits, by their own account they "scientifically" researched the organizations they wanted to support when it came to creating their charitable estate plans. "We had already decided that there were four main areas we wanted to support-medical research, social justice, the environment and the arts. For the arts, they explain, "we quickly decided on Juilliard."

Putting "A Face to the Award"

In the nine years since Bernard and Marjorie Sunshine endowed the Richard Holman Scholarship at Juilliard, the couple has often taken the time to meet the students who receive the scholarship, and then eagerly follow their careers. Recently, the Sunshines came to Juilliard to meet the 2009-2010 scholarship recipient, soprano Chloe Schaaf, BM '12, voice.

Augustus Juilliard’s Gift for the Future

A textile merchant, banker and arts patron, Augustus Juilliard wanted to make a lasting gift through his will that would foster the education of promising musicians, encourage new compositions and produce new works. His name has since become synonymous with artistic excellence and a performing arts education of the highest caliber. Juilliard's background, however, was similar to that of many emigrants of the 19th century.

Considerable Accomplishments, Clear Intentions: A Young Alum Makes Her Will

Composer, pianist and Juilliard alumna Wendy Fang Chen is a young woman of considerable accomplishment. A graduate of Juilliard's Pre-College Division in both piano and composition, Wendy received her Bachelor of Music degree in 1994 studying composition with David Diamond, and piano with Herbert Stessin, then went on to attain her master's degree, again as a double major in piano and composition. After graduation, Wendy served as a member of the administrative staff at Juilliard, where she was Associate Director of Career Development and co-taught the Career Development Seminar.

A Couple Combines Financial Knowledge with Generous Instinct

We first met Norman Lewis by telephone back in the fall of 1993. Calling from his home in California, Norman was planning a special party for his wife Loretta's birthday and wanted to surprise her with a scholarship in her name at Juilliard, which we were pleased and grateful to arrange. A mother and grandmother, Loretta had upheld both her family life and a singing career. The Lewises both loved music and opera and wanted to help young singers grow into accomplished performers.

A Journey Beginning at Juilliard: Reflections on Gratitude

I am happy to be on the Augustus Juilliard Society list even if I am among the modest supporters financially. However I must tell you that even though the fame of The Juilliard School is for its fine musical education, the thing I am most grateful for is the vision of William Schuman in his idea of a panoramic historical and humanitarian education to make musicians more in tune with whatever they choose to study. I am seventy-one now and still have not exhausted the areas I want to study as a result of the education I had at the Juilliard. How can I ever repay such a gift of spirit and inspiration?

Opportunities for a Lifetime

One would never guess that Louise Behrend is a nonagenarian. With the energy and enthusiasm of a young teacher just out of college, Ms. Behrend spends much of her time traveling between The Juilliard School, her alma mater, and The School For Strings, the community music school that she founded. An alumna of the Juilliard Graduate School, a member of the College Graduate Faculty, and a violin faculty member of Juilliard's Pre-College Division, Ms. Behrend has a particularly active lifestyle.

A Life Devoted to Music and Students—and Fiddles!

String players at Juilliard are extremely fortunate, not only for the wealth of renowned teachers at the School, but also for the tremendous resource they have in Juilliard's instrument collection. Playing an instrument built by a great master is an incomparable experience for any musician - and one that a student likely could never afford.

The Sweetest Music of All: Thoughts on Giving by Fred Plotkin

"When my father, who played the trombone with expressive beauty, died in 1996, I decided that the most fitting way to continue that wonderful sound was to create a scholarship at Juilliard to help students who select the trombone as their singular and soulful musical voice. I am happy to support musicians who choose an unusual instrument, which other donors might overlook. Through the years I have been thrilled to meet young trombonists at Juilliard who possess gorgeous tone and musicality, and I know that my Dad would be deeply moved that he was a part of their education.

Dedication to Excellence: Thoughts on a Juilliard Education by Arthur Phillips

"I graduated from Juilliard in 1947 where I met my wife, Myrtle who was studying voice. For the fifty-plus years of our marriage, we served as music directors in churches, and ran a private studio in Harlem where we taught piano, organ and voice. In New York, we performed and produced recitals in Town Hall, Carnegie Recital Hall and Alice Tully Hall, and presented our students in yearly recitals at CAMI Hall, Hunter College, and churches and studios in the Harlem area. Myrtle and I also performed abroad. Although I lost my wife in 2001, I have fond memories of our time at Juilliard and of the training I received as a student.

Renaissance Man: A Profile Of Norman Greenberg

To have a conversation with Norman Greenberg is to see the world through the eyes of an anthropologist, musician, social activist and administrative leader. An alumnus of The Juilliard School with a degree in French horn, Dr. Greenberg has worked around the world visiting no less than 68 countries. He and his wife of 60 years, Dr. Gilda Greenberg, are philanthropists as well, and their wide-ranging generosity includes two charitable gift annuities with The Juilliard School.

Marta Vago

Among the members of Augustus Juilliard Society are many alumni who have included The Juilliard School in their long-range plans. One of these generous individuals is Dr. Marta Vago, who first came to Juilliard as a Pre-College student, eventually earning two degrees in piano from the School. Marta shares a link to Juilliard with her husband, Stephen Manes, a fellow alumnus whom she married more than 40 years after their Juilliard days. In addition to her studies at Juilliard, Marta earned a Master's Degree in Social Work from Temple University, and a Ph.D. in Psychology from Columbia Pacific University. She and her husband now live in Santa Monica, California. We spoke with her about her time at Juilliard and why she supports the School.

A Generous Gift Inspired by a Musical Family

Augustus Juilliard Society members have many different ties to the School, and each of their Juilliard stories is unique. For member Irene Schultz, her connection to the School began many years ago, thanks to her friendship with a musical family with a long Juilliard history.

The Impact of Scholarships

Angie Zhang received her bachelor's degree from Juilliard, with academic honors, in May 2017 and this fall is continuing on as a master's degree student of Yoheved Kaplinsky and Joseph Kalichstein. In addition to her musical studies, she was chair of the Juilliard Student Council, a writer and photographer for the Juilliard Journal, a student ambassador, admissions tour guide, and a student in the Barnard-Columbia-Juilliard Exchange Program.

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