Julliard School is to open its first ever academy outside of New York. Tianjin Juilliard School campus in Beijing, China, will offer US-accredited master’s degrees from 2018, the latest in a series of Julliard projects that expand the school’s reach.
‘I believe that maintaining Juilliard’s prominence in the global performing arts landscape will depend on a robust series of programs to engage with a wide range of learners in different parts of the world,’ said Julliard president Joseph Polisi.
China’s first lady Mme Peng Liyuan attended the launch, and gave a few vocal coaching tips – Liyuan is a celebrated folk singer in China – to Juilliard soprano Liv Redpath.
Earlier this year it launched Juilliard Open Studios, an app that provides behind-the-scenes interviews, insights and guides from school faculty and alumni, and a creative curriculum for school kids aged four to 12.
In addition to the master’s degree, Julliard plans to offer a range programmes for amateur performers and artists of all ages and abilities. Julliard faculty will visit China to teach master classes and perform concerts at the school, which will have an interactive exhibit and performance space.
Continued Polisi: ‘All of these programs are structured in a way that not only will preserve, support, and enhance the world-class performing arts education that Juilliard offers in New York, but provide new kinds of work for our alumni, build communities of support around the world, open access to new pools of talent, and position Juilliard as a leader in global performing arts education.’
Architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro, who designed Julliard’s recent New York extension and Broad Museum in Los Angeles, lead the design team. Julliard School was founded in 1905, and currently has 800 artists from 42 countries enrolled.