Public Invited to Watch Juilliard's 2020 Virtual Gala

October 2, 2020, 9:59 PM · Even benefit concerts are taking a different form during pandemic times, and to that end, New York's Juilliard School has planned an elaborate Virtual Gala that will be streamed on Monday.

And you don't have to go to New York to see it -- the Gala is free and open to anyone with an Internet connection: you can view it by clicking here. (...and obviously, you can also donate to the Juilliard Scholarship Fund at that link.)

"This special occasion is dedicated to providing new resources for scholarships for our young artists, who need support in achieving their full potential now more than ever," said Juilliard President Damian Woetzel. "Our virtual performance will honor the talent across the school, from our Music Advancement Program and Pre-College students who are just starting their artistic journey, to the gifted musicians, actors, and dancers in the college who are honing their craft and expanding their artistry, to our remarkable faculty and alumni paving new pathways out in the world.”

Opening the evening, the Juilliard Orchestra and Juilliard Jazz Orchestra will join together to perform the "Midwestern Moods" movement of alumnus Wynton Marsalis’ Swing Symphony, conducted by David Robertson. The evening will culminate in a new audio and visual conception of alumnus Philip Glass’ "Knee Play 5" from Einstein on the Beach, arranged by Nico Muhly and performed by Glass, Muhly, Lorraine Toussaint, Tim Fain, Nadia Sirota, Alex Sopp, and a company of Juilliard instrumentalists, singers, and actors who range from students in the Preparatory Division to alumni.

The rest of the gala program will showcase highlights from the 2019-20 school year, including a look back at a master class by Renée Fleming; a behind-the-scenes look at choreographer Amy Hall Garner’s Sight & Sound from New Dances: Edition 2019; a tribute to President’s Medal recipient, civil rights leader, and former Juilliard clarinet student Clarence B. Jones; a salute to Historical Performance’s 10th anniversary season; the Juilliard Orchestra’s virtual performance of "Nimrod," conducted by violinist Itzhak Perlman; and a glimpse into the making of Bolero Juilliard, the stunning virtual collaboration published in April 2020.

All told, the performances in the gala feature hundreds of students and alumni who have filmed themselves at locales around the world to create this event in support of the Juilliard Scholarship Fund, which helps support about 90 percent of current Juilliard college students.