The Juilliard School: when it was founded, who it's named after and some of its most famous alumni (2024)

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The Juilliard School: when it was founded, who it's named after and some of its most famous alumni? ›

Founded by Frank Damrosch as the Institute of Musical Art in 1905, the school later added dance and drama programs and became the Juilliard School, named after its principal benefactor Augustus D. Juilliard.

Nine years later, Augustus Juilliard, a wealthy textile merchant, left in his will the largest single bequest for the advancement of music at that time. The trustees of the bequest founded the Juilliard Graduate School in 1924 to help talented music students complete their education.

Jazz legends Miles Davis (one of the greatest jazz trumpet players ever), Nina Simone and Chick Corea (one of the best jazz pianists ever) also studied here, as did actors including Robin Williams, Kelsey Grammer and Kelly McGillis.

Founded in 1905, The Juilliard School is a world leader in performing arts education. The school's mission is to provide the highest caliber of artistic education for gifted musicians, dancers, and actors from around the world so that they may achieve their fullest potential as artists, leaders, and global citizens.

Juilliard dance alumni include the choreographers and directors Robert Battle, Pina Bausch, Jessica Lang, Lar Lubovitch, Andrea Miller, Ohad Naharin, Bobbi Jene Smith, Paul Taylor, and Sylvia Waters.

TikTok comes for Juilliard after the school rejected beloved creator Axel Webber. Webber, 22, who recently moved to New York City to pursue acting, became a TikTok star for his series of videos about living on an extreme budget.

Jessica Chastain

She graduated from Juilliard in 2003, and in addition to appearing on the big and the small screens, she has appeared on a number of stage shows, including in a revival of The Heiress.

Gaga learned to play the piano by the age of 4. At the age of 11, she was accepted to the Juilliard School in Manhattan, but instead attended a private Catholic school in the city.

At age 11, Gaga was accepted into the highly esteemed Juilliard School in Manhattan, but instead (at her parent's behest) attended Convent of the Sacred Heart, an Upper East Side private Catholic school.

Miles Davis was likely Juilliard's most famous dropout. After attending the school's music division to study jazz trumpet, he left after one semester and instead sought his education from mentors like Charlie Parker.

What GPA is required for Juilliard? ›

Undergraduate students must maintain a semester and cumulative 1.70 GPA during their first year of study, and a 2.00 GPA for subsequent years. Graduate students must maintain a minimum 2.70 GPA throughout their entire program.

The Juilliard School Grade Point Average (GPA) for accepted students is approximately 3.15 GPA. There's no need to “fix” the problem of a low GPA at Juilliard because students are not there learn calculus. Skills and talents outweigh grades in the selection process.

This directory is not just composed of graduates of this school, as some of the famous people on this list didn't necessarily earn a degree from Juilliard School. This list contains notable and often famous Juilliard alumni like Robin Williams and Jessica Chastain.

In 1973, Williams attained a full scholarship to the Juilliard School (Group 6, 1973–1976) in New York City. He was one of 20 students accepted into the freshman class, and he and Christopher Reeve were the only two accepted by John Houseman into the Advanced Program at the school that year.

As a member of the drama department's Group Six, Williams was in the Juilliard class that included actors Kelsey Grammer and Diane Venora.

About The Juilliard School

In 1969, the school became part of Lincoln Center, considered by many to be America's premier classical music venue. Admission to Juilliard is highly competitive, with an overall acceptance rate between five and eight percent.

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.

At sixteen, Seth was the youngest person to ever be admitted to Juilliard's drama department. Now at twenty-five, he has a multitude of TV and film credits and has also starred in three Broadway shows: The Merchant of Venice, War Horse, and Golden Boy.

When Axel Webber Was Rejected From Juilliard, the Internet Stepped In. The 22-year-old actor documented his audition process for the world to see and became a star along the way.