★★★★★ 5.0
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The Juilliard School
That gleaming travertine marble wrapping this angular, fortress-like building was a gift from the Italian government... making Juilliard the only structure at Lincoln Center to wear stone blessed by European hands. You're standing before Pietro Belluschi's masterpiece of Brutalism, completed on October 26, 1969, as the final jewel in Lincoln Center's crown. Where you see this imposing conservatory, the High School of Commerce once stood, its stubborn presence delaying construction for over a decade. Belluschi, frustrated by the wait, sketched seventy different designs before settling on this dramatic fortress of artistic dreams. Notice how it sits defiantly across Sixty-fifth Street from its Lincoln Center siblings, connected only by that slender footbridge soaring overhead like a pianist's fingers reaching across keys. Step closer to those massive glass walls and peer inside... beyond this intimidating exterior lies a world where Van Cliburn once practiced the Tchaikovsky concerto that would make him internationally famous, where John Houseman shaped America's greatest actors starting in 1968. The school that began as the humble Institute of Musical Art in 1905 now houses over 800 young artists from 46 countries, their voices, instruments, and footsteps echoing through halls that have witnessed more Grammy winners per square foot than anywhere else on Earth. This is where artistic legends are born behind walls of Italian stone.
Did You Know?
- The Juilliard School’s Lincoln Center building, completed in 1969, was designed by renowned architect Pietro Belluschi after nearly 70 different design iterations over 12 years—a testament to the school’s commitment to architectural originality. Notably, it is the only Lincoln Center building clad with travertine marble gifted by the Italian government, and it stands apart from the main plaza, connected only by an elevated footbridge, reflecting a Brutalist style that was ahead of its time.
- Juilliard’s journey began as the Institute of Musical Art in 1905, but its modern identity was shaped by a generous bequest from textile merchant Augustus D. Juilliard, who left a fortune to advance musical education in the U.S. This led to the founding of the Juilliard Graduate School in 1924, and by 1946, the two schools merged to become the Juilliard School of Music. The school’s evolution continued with the addition of dance in the 1950s and drama in the 1960s, culminating in the name change to The Juilliard School in 1968 to reflect its expanded mission in the performing arts.
- Juilliard has one of the most impressive rosters of alumni in the world, who have collectively won over 100 Grammy Awards, 60+ Tony Awards, nearly 50 Emmy Awards, and more than 20 Academy Awards, including two EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winners. The school’s Juilliard String Quartet, founded in 1946, has been pivotal in the development of chamber music in America, and its graduates include internationally celebrated artists such as violinist Itzhak Perlman, actor Kevin Spacey, and soprano Renée Fleming.