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Chapter 8
Transforming Elite Musicians
Into Professional Artists:
A View of the Talent Development
Process at The Juilliard School
Rena F. Subotnik
EstherKatz Rosen Center for GiftedEducation Policy,
American Psychological Foundation
Great performers are a boon to our aesthetic sensibilities and a salve to the
weariness that comes with daily routine. The ease and gracefulness of musi-
cians' communication skills mask years of copious study and practice
guided by highly expert teachers. This chapter invites readers to explore
the environment in which America's finest classical musicians are trained to
become professional artists, the term used to describe those held in the
highest esteem by the field. Data were provided by faculty and staff of the
internationally renowned ]uilliardSchool to address the following vari-
ables: (a) definitions of elite talent, (b) relationships established between
teachers and their students, (c) how curriculum plays a role in transform-
ing talent, and (d) the advent of stars and underachievers among students.
The chapter concludes with a list of suggestions for bringing some of the
techniques, strategies, and approaches used in the conservatory to under-
graduate training in the academic disciplines. .
DOES THE CONSERVATORYHOLD SOME LESSONS
FOR LIBERALARTS INSTITUTIONS?
Mastery of the repertoire in classical music performance is highly sequen-
tial, and the values and expectations for transformation from player to art-
ist are steeped in rich tradition. The resulting orderliness of the field makes
it an ideal platform from which to view the development of talent, from its
137
beginnings in early childhood through the nurturing of professional ca-
reers. Retrospective studies of concert pianists by Bloom (1985) and Sos-
niak (1985) have delineated the variables that contribute to elite perform-
ance in music a.:t various stages in the process. Other scholars (Bamberger,
1986; Gagne, 1999; Haroutounian, 2000; Piirto, 1998; Sloboda & Howe,
1991; Winner, 1996) have also constructed theories or definitions of devel-
oping giftedness in music.
A smaller literature looks specifically at the highest level of musical tal-
ent development-preparing professionals for concert careers at the con-
servatory. Two published studies by Kogan (1987) and Kingsbury l 9 8 ~
characterize American conservatories as monastery like "finger factories."
In recent years, however, attention to mental health and broader, more in-
terdisciplinary approaches to training have helped conservatory students
and faculty accommodate to shortened audience attention spans, reduced
funding for the arts, and the consequent increase in competition within the
performing arts world (Olmstead, 1999). What remains undeniable, how-
ever, is the success that conservatories have had in transforming elite talent
into professional careers.
The most important relationship is with one's private (or studio) teach-
er, and most teachers who work with advanced students carry a proud lin-
eage of descent from earlier generations of teachers, performers, and com-
posers (Haroutounian, 2000; Kingsbury, 1988; Persson, 1996; Sand, 2000;
Shuter-Dyson, 1985; Sosniak, 1985; Subotnik, 2000). In science, Nobel lau-
reates also display a mentor-protege pattern that mirrors the one found in
music (Zuckerman, 1996). For example, physicist Baron Rayleigh, who won
the Nobel Prize in 1904, was the mentor to physicistJ-J-Thompson, who in
turn, won the Prize in 1906. One of Thompson's eight laureate proteges
was chemist Ernest Rutherford. Rutherford was mentor to no fewer than 11
Nobel laureates in physics and chemistry between 1921 and 1967. Graduate
students in science seek a doctoral program based on specific professors
who might be good research mentors. Before that point, most science stu-
dents select their college or university based on the institution's general
prestige or location. In contrast, reputation plays a primary role even for a
preadolescent's studio teacher. A chance to work with teachers of distinct
lineage is what draws many students to a conservatory.
One role that some studio teachers play is career advisor, and the practi-
cal or tacit knowledge they provide is instrumental to career success (Stern-
berg, Hedlund, & Grigorenko, 2000). However, leaving that responsi-
bility solely to studio teachers can be haphazard (Schmidt & Andrews,
1996). Consequently, Juilliard offers its students exposure to many poten-
tial sources of professional and practical wisdom.
Another advantage the conservatory offers is access to talented peers
who approach, match, or even surpass a student's abilities and ambitions,
Talent Development in Science:
A Comparison Leads to the Conservatory
yet share the passion and commitment needed for sustained effort (Bloom,
1985; Subotnik & Coleman, 1996). Young musicians deal with pressures of
competition and the advent of stars and underachievers that contribute to
or detract from their growth in artistry or scholarship, to say nothing of
their mental health and self-concept (Seymour & Hewitt, 1994). In the end,
the student, with the help of his or her teachers and peers, must forge a
unique identity as an artist and capitalize on whatever performance oppor-
tunities are available.
139
In 1983, I began a 13-year longitudinal study of talented young scientists
(Subotnik & Arnold, 1995; Subotnik, Duschl, & Selmon, 1993; Subotnik,
Maurer, & Steiner, 2001; Subotnik & Steiner, 1994). Each of the partici-
pants was a winner of America's most prestigious high school science
award: the Westinghouse Science Talent Search (now called Intel Science
Talent Search). To win this award, one had to submit a technical paper de-
scribing an original mathematics, life or physical science, or quantitatively
based social science investigation, usuallyunder the guidance of an experi-
enced researcher. The judges included Nobel laureates, high-ranking
scholars at the National Institutes for Health, the National Science Founda-
tion, and major research universities. In the course of preparing their pa-
pers, the winners enjoyed significant participation in the conduct of real
science. Although 95% aspired to research or applied science careers, they
chose which university to attend based on general prestige rather than on
specific faculty members with whom they might study. By the end of their
second year in university, two-thirds of the women had dropped their math-
ematics or science majors, and many of the men were disappointed with
their training and preparation. They had been shuttled into classes with
several hundred students and received little or no individual attention. If
they managed to arrange some affiliation with a laboratory, they were as-
signed menial tasks. Most of those who survived the weeding out period
were eventually able to enjoy relationships with mentors, more cutting edge
coursework, and opportunities to contribute significantly in laboratory ef-
forts. Although these brilliant young adults achieved career success in an ar-
ray of fields, I was dismayed at how blindly they selected an undergraduate
institution and how cavalierly our finest universities addressed such out-
standing talent at its peak of enthusiasm.
In 1996, as I began my last data collection point in the Westinghouse
study, Franz Monks from the University of Nijmegen told me about a fabu-
lously talented young musician he met in his clinic. He asked me to make
8. TRANSFORMING ELITE MUSICIANS SUBOTNIK 138
IOn occasion, this series appears in the Journal for the Education of the Gifted.
A STUDY CONDUCTED AT AMERICA'S PREMIERE
MUSIC CONSERVATORY
Thirty-four Juilliard faculty and administrators were interviewed in person
for this study. Although a little more than 20% of the staff that works in the
Music Division participated, the main instrument and voice departments
and all levels of relevant administration are represented in the data. Juil-
liard's Music Division serves only 320 undergraduates, so the full-time staff
and faculty are often called on to play many roles. Most of the administra-
tors teach courses or instruct individual students in their own studios. Half
of the nonstudio or classroom teachers (in liberal arts, theory, ear training,
etc.) hold some kind of administrative position within a department or else
serve as coaches to student ensembles or performance groups.
The taped interviews were conducted following' a predetermined ques-
tioning schedule, with a few unique items included based on the person's
role at the institution (see Appendix 1). After the interview session,partici-
pants were sent their transcripts so that they could correct errors in musical
141 8. TRANSFORMING ELITE MUSICIANS
terminology, names, or interpretations of an answer and add updates or de-
tails to their responses. This method ensures accurate reporting of the data
(Hertz & Imber, 1995; Persson & Robsin, 1995).
Six of the ten studio teachers that we interviewed maintain active per-
formance careers as soloists, ensemble players, or principals in major sym-
phony orchestras. All had been recruited by members of their department
on the basis of their reputations as teachers and/or performers.
Ten administrators were interviewed including the president, dean, di-
rector of admissions, director of student services, head librarian, and key
staff associated with organizing student performances. All but one had in-
tensive musical training in their backgrounds. Seven out of the 10 do not
perform regularly, devoting most of their energies to administration and
some teaching. One continues to perform professionally. All but one of
these individuals came into their administrative role either from the ranks
of the faculty or after fulfilling a similar responsibility at another well-
known conservatory, arts school, or performance group.
Nonstudio instructors and staff (n = 14) were categorized under the la-
bel of classroom teachers for the purposes of this study. This group included
professionals who provide seminars on the practical realities of the music
world, as well as teachers of theory, ear training, music history, and humani-
ties. This category also encompasses experts in aesthetic education, opera
performance, and performance of new music by professional and student
composers. All remain professionally active and were recruited by teachers
and staff in related departments at the school on the basis of their expertise
and reputations in the field.
Defining Elite Talent
A successful audition is the central criterion of the admissions process, and
lasts anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes. Approximately 90% of those apply-
ing for admission to Juilliard are rejected since there may only be one or
two openings for a new student in each department. The challenge of the
admissions process is to sort out those who would benefit most from the
program from among a large pool of talented applicants.
A team made up of each department's studio teachers sits in the audi-
tions and rates candidates on a list of variables including "chops" or tech-
nique (command of the instrument), rhythm, intonation, sound, and style.
There are two open questions on the audition form in addition to a space
for general comments: Should this student beaccepted? Ifso, wouldyou take this
student in your studio?Applicants who elicit a more subjective quality like ex-
citement or musicality (how one communicates, the influence of style and
emotion on technique) are more likely to succeed, because all applicants
SUBOTNIK
140
some inquiries about this student's possible enrollment at The Juilliard
School. The Director of Admissions atJuilliard, Mary Gray, graciouslyan-
swered my questions: In the course of a freewheeling conversation, we dis-
cussed my interviews with Midori and Vladimir Feltsman, two internation-
ally renowned artists as part of a series entitled, "Conversations with Masters
in the Arts and Sciences."! Midori had been a student atJuilliard beginning
in early adolescence. Feltsman entered a special full time music school in
Moscow at age 6 and completed his elementary 'and secondary studies
there. Both were constantly challenged by teachers and the performance
world to surpass the levels of proficiency they had achieved in adolescence.
This confluence of experience-the Midori and Feltsman interviews and
my visit to TheJuilliard School-led me to propose to theJuilliard adminis-
tration a study of how the Pre-College Program (Subotnik, 2000) and the
actual conservatory transform elite musicians into professional artists.
Academically gifted students of comparable promise and career ambition
as those found atJuilliard experience fewer opportunities for individualized
instruction, cutting edge research positions, or career advice during their
undergraduate years. At Juilliard, the unique relationship between studio
teacher and student, an abundance of performance opportunities and gifted
peers, and scheduled access to explicit, practical information required for
the fulfillment of talent are readily available; The objective of this study is to
offer insights into restructuring the way that we meet the needs of academi-
cally gifted youth based on the success of another educational system.
142 SUBOTNIK
8. TRANSFORMING ELITE MUSICIANS
143
are expected to demonstrate high level mastery of the skills listed on the au-
dition grid.
We're supposed to use a grid with certain criteria and rate people based on
that. But it's much more subjective than that. The ones that get in exhibit
some sort of really good musical understanding and some sort of identifica-
tion with the music they're playing. Technically there are a variety of skills
they have to exhibit, and if they don't, they're not really going to be consid-
ered. There's a subset that has those technical abilities and that feel like
they're really making music. When you have the kinds of odds we have, then
it's hard to use a set of objective criteria because there are too many people
like that. Then it becomes a little more subjective. This person really im-
pressed me because-I'm not sure why. Theyjust really seemed to do some-
thing with the music. But as long as it's a committee feeling that way, then I
think it's valid. Because that's what music performance is anyhow, on a cer-
tain level. (Studio Teacher)
When the faculty, with its varied tastes and values, are in consensus about
an applicant, the candidate is viewed as "destined for greatness." However,
if there is sufficient space in the program to bring in the next level of candi-
dates, differences in values and tastes held by faculty judges may result in
the admission of candidates who are sufficiently pleasing to all, yet not par-
ticularly exciting to any.
Of fifty [applicants to our department], there are about thirty no one is par-
ticularly interested in, and there are about two that everyone thought were
gods, and then there are about ten that we fight about. If there's only space
for two, it's not an issue. But if there were space for four, then people would
feel strongly about one candidate as opposed to the other, and about the rela-
tive importance of this or that [audition variable]. (Studio Teacher)
Usually the line is clear between those admissible and those who are less
qualified. If there is too much disagreement about filling an undergraduate
slot, the available opening may be filled by a graduate student. Several years
ago, slots in the voice and piano departments were reduced at both the
graduate and undergraduate levels for each student to have sufficient per-
. formance opportunities.
According to our interviewees, the audition process works well at un-
veiling "God-given talent" developed by way of intensive focus and hard
work. One studio teacher summarized this perspective by saying, "I think
the biggest most important part of it is innate. You can recognize it,
squelch it, encourage it, develop it, but you can't put it in." Although the
results of the audition process are considered satisfactory, some impor-
tant factors cannot be addressed using a static assessment process. Some
departments have introduced a second, dynamic layer of assessment, in-
cluding an interviewand/or a sample lesson to the "teachability,"
musicianship, or physical memory of the candIdates. A sample
would reveal which students can translate given instructi?n and
into their musical performance and learn new material quickly by dint of
excellent physical memory.
Musicality is an innate ability. It's something you're born with. You're either
musical or you're not. You're not going to be able to teach anybody to .be
sical. Musicianship is something that you learn, some people more mstmc-
tivelythan others. The best wayI can explain it to you is that some people are
born with an ability to learn languages very easily, but don:t kno,: the
languages. They have to learn them. They jus.t learn mcredlbly
It's the same thing with music. You go in With the ability to learn this, lan-
guage, but you have to listen to the music of.the You have.to
what they were thinking about and what their mind like rn or-
der to become a musician and understand how to bnng that mUSIC across.
sicallyas a performer, you are a mouthpiece for somebody who had amazing
greatness. So you're entrusted with some stuff.that you're supposed to then
transmit to others, and it's a tall order. (Studio Teacher)
In the final stages of the talent development process, factors
tend to outweigh all other variables. Those who are most to fulfill
their dreams of career success capitalize on charisma and attractI:e appear-
ance, and apply those qualities to opportunities that come their way. Ac-
cording to the interviewees, greatness results from a hunger to express one-
self through the medium of musical performance.
The person who is naturally well turned out is rare; however, those are al-
ways the people that go on to have the careers. A lot of people are given
Steinwaysbut never learn to play. Somebody like Maria Callas had a Yamaha
and through her tremendous force of will overcame many, many obstacles.
(Administrator)
Measuring and quantifying such poorly variables as charisma
and fortitude remains unfinished business; yet,juilhard has revealed for ':S
a pattern that may well be mirrored in the more academic environments III
which we conduct our work.
Studio Teacher and Student Relationships:
The Basics of Talent Development
A musician's instructional lineage is taken seriously, demonstrating the ven-
eration with which studio teachers are held in the classical music world. Al-
though the only information provided to audition panelsis the name of the
According to the admissions office, about 70% of students make their
oreferences for a studio teacher known; however, the proportion of pre-
iudition trial lessons that take place varies according to department.
We listen to them [at the admission audition] and we mark whether they are
material to come into this school-would they fit into the program. Would
you accept this student? Yes, no, maybe. Therein lies the tale. And the stu-
dents coming in might already have a preference for a teacher. He or she
might have tried to get in touch with a teacher based on hearsay, or a friend of
theirs might have worked with him, and made a connection that way, and say,
"That's the one I would really like to work with." Or they've heard, and it's
usually the case, the scuttlebutt of whom it is that they'd like to work with.
And then they might put down their preferences, or they might say, "I leave
that up to the school." So it can happen that a student will say, "I'd like to
work with XX on the faculty." XX, not knowing that, might have listened to
the audition and might not have liked that particular student and might
[have responded to the line on the audition form that says], "Would you take
this student?" and ifXX says no, that student is not going-to make the connec-
tion. It has to be agreed on both sides. (Studio Teacher)
candidate's hometown, some applicants mention their teacher's name as
part of their brief greeting. Even when the name of the teacher is hidden,
his or her unique stamp is often evident to the panel. They can figure out
the name of the teacher based on the hometown and the quality of the can-
didate's preparation. In many cases, these teachers were former Juilliard
students, "grandchildren" of the department. The close-knit nature of this
world is also revealed by the fact that more than 40% of the faculty and ad-
ministration of the Music Division had some training atJuilliard, either as
an undergraduate or graduate student.
When the president approves a new position in a department, a search
committee is generated and faculty members make lists of potential candi-
dates. The classical music performance world is small, and most players in it
are known, at least by reputation. Consequently, standing in the perfor-
mance community plays the key role in recruiting studio faculty. Standing
is also measured by the success of former students.
Studio teachers are not on full-time contracts. Instead, they are paid ac-
cording to their prominence and/or the number of students in their
Juilliard studio. Each student has to pass ajury examination at the end of
the year, judged by all members of the department. How well a teacher's
students do on the jury examination may over time affect the esteem in
which a teacher is held.
When students apply, they can indicate a first, second, and third choice
studio to be admitted to, or else leave the space blank. A few students will
turn down admission to Juilliard if their first choice of teacher is not ful-
tilled.
145
I don't think "niceness" is necessarily high on the list of desired teacher char-
acteristics. I'd say a student would rather have a demanding teacher who's go-
The stereotype of the classical music teacher as severe and critical is dying
away because there's no reason for it. And students are more savvy. In [the
old] days students used to be hit by teachers with pencils over their knuckles.
Today teachers get fired for that. So students grow up with a knowledge that
they have certain rights as individuals, and that they should be afforded a cer-
tain respect. And my feeling is that if you feel that a student is good enough
for you to work with them, you have to respect them as a human being. And if
you need to resort to these kinds of tactics, then you're not really respecting
them. I don't see any value in emotional abuse. So I certainly will not sub-
scribe to that. (Studio Teacher)
We don't recommend that people go around and play for everybody because
then it sends the wrong message to faculty, even though finding the right
teacher is a very important process. Certainly a lot of our faculty teaches at
summer programs and I'm sure many of our best students have come from
those kind of connections. We're very-clear, however, about sending students
a message that it's not essential to have that connection. And it really is not,
because the teacher you played for is only one voice on your audition team.
No one person can ensure you are admitted. And the faculty tend not to try
too hard to push for someone special because there's then going to possibly
be a payback with someone for another teacher ... Teachers let us know
whom they'd really like and we do our best to consider the match, while tak-
ing all the other factors into consideration. (Administrator)
8. TRANSFORMINGELITE MUSICIANS
In the piano and violin departments, where competition for open slots is
the most severe, few of the students come in without having "checked out"
at least one faculty member. In other departments the proportion of pre-
audition interactions may be as small as 20%, especially in voice, where stu-
dents tend to discover and develop their abilities later than violin and piano
students, who apply with at least 7 or 8 years of serious preparation under
their belts. The nature of the student-teacher relationship can vary in the
degree to which emotional support is given or needed. Although we might
idealize the notion of a warm and caring relationship not every student
needs or seeks that at this point in his or her career trajectory. Because
there are so many variables involved, including personality, values, and
teaching and learning style, sophisticated applicants to Juilliard preaudi-
tion with various faculty members at summer festivals or in New York. And a
few of the faculty members arrange to meet individually with prospective
students before committing to take them on to see if enough chemistry is
there to work productively together. ..- --
In the course of discussing the nature of the teacher-student relation-
ship, two main points emerged. According to our interviewees, no student
needs to be subjected to browbeating.
SUBOTNIK
144
Although most high quality teachers say they do not subscribe to the
"break down and build up approach," this maestro model (Persson, 1996)
has been successful in generating world-famous artists. Some students are
prepared to undergo whatever is necessary to learn what they need to ad-
vance.
ing to make them work and make them better at playing the instrument, They
don't enter a school to have a teacher as a friend. That's not the main point.
I'd,say every student is different in what their needs are. And I would say stu-
dents are attracted to different faculty on the basis ofwhat their needs are. So
there might be a teacher who's more nurturing than another and usually a
student who. finds that attractive and feels like they learn the best with that
kind of a teacher will gravitate there. The selection process occurs partly
through summer festivals. Most of our faculty teaches elsewhere during the
summer. (Administrator)
It's possible that people are [employing the maestro model], but are not will-
ing to share that about themselves. And I think I might be that way more than
I would like to be. I have my own way of being hard on my students. And I
think what I get back from them, although they don't tell me so, is that I'm so
critical of everything that sometimes they fold under the pressure of trying to
please me. And I'mfairly slow to tell them how wonderful I think they are. But
it does happen. And I've got a good sense of humor for the most part. But
when I lose my patience, I lose it in a very big way.
We have all kinds of students atJuilliard. We have kids [who] would feel
very uncomfortable ifsomeone were nice to them. Perhaps the parents or the
teachers have also been harsh. It's a really fine and delicate position to be in
when you're locked in a room, for, in the case of the undergraduate students,
120 hours over four years, minimum. And no one is watching. And you can
develop all kinds of relationships in that setting. And the students very often
feel very powerless to protect themselves because the teacher might be venge-
ful or threaten to be vengeful or to hurt them in some way that they can't con-
trol. Also kids are very often in a position where they don't feel it would be
proper to stand up for themselves, no matter what they're feeling-unless, of
course, they went to Juilliard Pre-College, in which case they know the ropes
and they know how to fight for themselves a little bit more because they're
used to the situation. If they're from Russia or Israel, they're going to stand
up for themselves no matter what, whether they're right or wrong. (Studio
Teacher).
147
[Once they are admitted] the teachers will take them a long way even if it
means bending fingers and arms and showing them some ways to play without
harming themselves and without tension. There's a lot of artistry that
to be taught. For example, we provide an education that allows them to listen
to old performances and classic recordings to understand how people
thought about phrases historically, about the context in which writers wrote
and painters painted. A certain range of styles is considered "correct," allow-
ing a lot of freedom even within strictly classical music. they know what
the boundaries are they can soar. But [musical] communicauon, some of that
ability you can't teach. You just try to give lots and lots of tools. (Administra-
tor)
Those students who pass the audition but are not sufficiently proficient in
the English language or basic academic in a
program that focuses entirely on these deficiencies and studio instruction.
If a student is unable to pass out of the provisional program after 1 year, he
or she has to reapply for admission. .
Once a student has been admitted, technique and exposure to an in-
creasingly challenging repertoire continue to be the cen.terpieces the
curriculum. In the process, emphasis is placed on the umque qualities of
each student, with the goal of developing in them a profile of distinctive
strengths.
Curriculum Matters
oped, and, consequently, many strategies are employed; particularly when
the performance styles of student and teacher are not compatible. The. pos-
sibility that students will stop applying to their studio as well as the
visible success rate of current students in their jury examinations provides
accountability for teacher quality. . .
Classroom teachers, those who serve as instructors for ear trammg, the-
ory, history, and so on, are also free to choose their instructional strategies
at Juilliard, although the instructional goals for these courses more
likely to be discussed in department meetings. Everorone
there is a need for shared objectives because courses m ear trammg, music
history, and music theory are sequential, and the degree which
have mastered material in an earlier course will have an Impact on their
performance in later ones.
8. TRANSFORMING ELITE MUSICIANS
SUBOTNIK 146
Whether the maestro approach is singularly more successful than any
others remains to be seen, and with the growing variation in teachingstyle,
a better match can be made to accommodate a wider array of student learn-
ing styles. There is no Juilliard philosophy when it comes to instruction.
Nor are there professional development seminars for studio faculty. Studio
teachers tend to view each student as a puzzle to be analyzed and devel-
I would say that someone is talented with only two or three [of vari-
ables that we look at, namely] physical ease and grace, communicanve pres-
ence, and technique. Or a strong musical personality which overrides some
technical deficiencies. But then it's also possible to have someone who's a
klutz on his or her instrument but his intellect and sense of purpose is so
Advanced students are expected to develop their judgment and taste by
addressing situations faced by every performer, such as differentiating how
one plays as a soloist as opposed to howone plays as a member of an ensem-
ble or an orchestra.
strong that he creates a niche for himself. If a person is developed in two or
three areas in a verystrong way, and they put that across, they may not sayev-
erything you wanted them to say,but what they sayis said strongly and clearly.
In a wayit seems that if you cover too many bases you might not come across
as powerfully. (Studio Teacher)
Orchestral playing requires intelligence and discipline, but a person who also
has excitement quality can potentially be a big problem in orchestra.... They
have to know when they are playing second trumpet not first trumpet. But
there's also a difference between playing first trumpet on a Mozart symphony
where you're an extension of the tympani and you're there to help bring in
the cadences occasionally. There's a big difference between that and playing
first trumpet on Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra, where there's a solo trum-
pet part. (Administrator)
149
I believe that the singers actually need more than they get now, especially in
terms of their understanding of art and culture, in relationship to the differ-
ent periods of music that they're working in. They should knowabout the his-
tory, the philosophy, the art, the culture of the period in which the opera is
set. The more they understand that and have a feeling for it, ... the more
they start to understand about things like, "This opera waswritten when revo-
lution wasraging in Italy and this is what the opera is speaking to." Then they
have a better wayof approaching the character that they're playing in the op-
expansion of liberal arts requirements as well as services that foster stu-
dent mental health. The need for change is both philosophical and instru-
mental in nature, and is conveyed as such to the students. According to
Polisi, "We're not a nation that naturally or comfortably supports the so-
called classical arts." Whatever music education was offered in the public
schools has been cut back in many hard pressed systems, reducing the
numbers of potential audience members with a taste for classical arts. Fed-
eral funding is hard won by the National Endowment for the Arts, and or-
chestras without strong public support have struggled to stay alive. The
rapid pace of change has also reduced the duration of artists' careers, as
audiences seek the "buzz" of the latest phenomenon. All these trends
place enormous stress on Juilliard students who see few opportunities to
make a mark. In response, faculty and administration have expanded the
conservatory curriculum.
The curriculum components for undergraduates include: individual
work with one's studio teacher, occasional sessions with other student
members of the teacher's studio, performance ensembles and/or orches-
tra, ear training (solfege), music history, music theory, liberal arts classes,
electives that focus on the humanities, and seminars that provide practical
information on negotiating a successful music career. In addition, voice stu-
dents are required to study dramatic arts, movement, diction in four lan-
guages (English, French, German, and Italian), and vocal literature and
language studies in French, German, and Italian. The number of potential
offerings is limited only by the small size of the student body. In addition to
attendance and preparation for class, students are expected to practice and
rehearse for several hours a day. The philosophical rationale for such a de-
manding schedule is that a broad education enhances the interpretive abili-
ties of the performer. According to two interviewees:
Understanding the culture, history, and the psychologyof the composers that
we play provides an authentic base from which the mode of expression or
style of performance can come. This includes having a really good handle on
the time and what the composer was interested in. For example, what did he
read? Was he a city person? It's different from a musicological or analytical
approach. (Studio Teacher)
8. TRANSFORMING ELITE MUSICIANS
SUBOTNIK 148
How one presents oneself in a public forum-including dress, verbal
communication, receiving compliments or criticisms, or recovering from
performance errors, requires conscious attention, and according to our in-
terviewees, are better not left to chance.
In traditional European-style conservatories, separate courses are of-
fered in music theory, music history, and ear training, taught by specialists
in those fields. The main goal is preparing outstanding performers for the
concert stage. Mastery of the repertoire and development of perfect tech-
nique are the sole aspirations of the students. These preprofessional voca-
tional programs are nicknamed "finger factories."
The curriculum of the Juilliard School has been broadened beyond the
European model since the arrival of the current president, Joseph Polisi.
Educated as both a musician and as an academic, Polisi has promoted the
The repertoire for a singer is large in the sense that drama comes into it. In
other words, the wayyour hand of cards adds up is very important. If your
voice tells you that you should do light, little perky numbers and you don't
look like that, that's a problem. Maybeyou're not a light, perky person. All of
those things have to add up together, including your language skills, your
ability to feel a style and not another style. There are singers who are marvel-
ous at contemporary music, and not reallyverygood at anything else. Sowhat
do we do with them? There are so many issues concerning the specific fit of
the performer to the repertoire, language, style, personality, drama, range,
and volume. (Administrator)
How responsive the students are to this [more interdisciplinary] approach
varies from student to student. Some are quite taken and excited by this ap-
proach, and others patiently wait for me. to finish my latest diatribe. I feel
era. Stretching towards that side has made it harder than being only a pure in-
strument. It does get in their way at times because people have a hard time
stretching towards that, but I think it's something we need to try and do. (Ad-
ministrator) .
Finally, because music directors are trying to attract and maintain audi-
ences by introducing innovative programs, including crossovers from jazz,
pop, and folk music, musicians need to be more flexible. An inclusive ap-
proach has its costs, however. Time spent on intellectual or aesthetic pur-
suits is precious time taken away from practice or relaxation.
151
The strengths of the program are also its weaknesses. In other words, the fact
that we don't have a textbook means that students who need to have a really
clear through line through four years of theoretical training feel frustrated
because they don't get that. They feel it is a little bit too hands-on or vague,
not disciplined enough. [We are] trying to remedy that in the next year or
two. (Classroom Teacher)
Not all classroom instructors employ these new methods, so students
tend to have some experience with both approaches and sometimes in-
struction and learning style are mismatched.
we're in a crisis of intellectual curiosity, and people who have mastered sys-
tems haven't necessarily learned to think creatively. I don't tolerate that very
well. I can't force someone to think creatively, but I keep pressing and it
seems to be successful.Juilliard is not the easiest place to do what I want to do
[because] I'm limited to the one-hour lesson format. These kids' lives are so
full, so sometimes the schedule makes it extremely difficult to do what I want
to do with my students. But I do my best. (Studio Teacher)
Our curriculum is somewhat untraditional. At the core is the idea that we
don't use textbooks but rather study the materials of music by looking at mas-
ter works of music literature. I'd like to think that my particular spin on it has
been to bring more creative opportunities to the classroom, to require faculty
members to provide opportunities for improvisation, composition, group
work, duo work, performance. Bring in guests that do things that are wayout-
side the classical tradition. West African drummers, North Indian style jazz
artists, performance artists. I ask our students to get involved with those peo-
ple, analyze that style of playing and the music. I'd like them to be part of the
global community, to realize that what they do is what artists. have done
throughout history in all kinds of other traditions. (Classroom Teacher)
Students also have to be extremely well organized to fully master the
amount of material that is required of them. Some accommodation is made
by assigning less writing and reading in academic courses than would be ex-
pected at an equivalently elite liberal arts institution. In addition, yoga
classes, psychological and counseling services, and a health club help stu-
dents maintain their physical and mental stamina.
Efforts have also been made to offer a more varied scope and sequence
in the required theory and music history classes. Students are exposed to
music outside the classical tradition with the purpose of analyzing its struc-
ture and how it differs from the repertoire with which the students are most
familiar. Additional innovations include taking a creative approach to musi-
cal analysis by asking even instrumental students to compose pieces that
employ a particular musical structure or style.
8. TRANSFORMING ELITE MUSICIANS SUBOTNIK
To me, it's abundantly clear that the basic skills of being an educator are part
of the kitbag of a twenty-first century artist. I think we're inadequately prepar-
ing artists for the world if we haven't introduced at least the basics of these
ideas .... I hear rumors of this kind of thinking in other parts of the building,
as there's more sense that artists need to know about advocacy. That artists
need to be able to speak about their own work. Artists need to know some-
thing about education, particularly since over 90% of the graduates end up
teaching at some time or other. (Classroom Teacher)
150
The kids tend not to see how important all of this stuff is because they're
drowning in the undergraduate program.... One of the problems that we're
having right now is this 24-26 unit per semester load which is a lot even if
you're not in three and four hours of rehearsal a day. But if you are basically
here at school from 9:00 AMto 11:30 PM it's awfullyhard to do your academic
work. It's even very hard to stay healthy because of a level of physical exhaus-
tion that occurs that you can't afford if you're going to perform.... So at the
moment I would have to say that I feel that our academic offerings are a very
odd combination of too demanding and not nearly demanding enough....
(Administrator)
Students are encouraged to expand their horizons in the humanities
through the curriculum and through their friendships with members of the
other Juilliard departments and divisions. Many view this stretching as the
path to real artistry. There are also more practical reasons for offering a
broad curriculum: (a) accreditation by the Middle States Association re-
quires thatJuilliard offer a wider array of courses than one might find at a
preprofessional vocational institution, (b) to prepare for interviews and
program introductions, students must learn how to speak and write about
the music they perform or compose, and (c) accommodating the realities
of the performing arts world includes knowing something about teaching
and advocating for the arts.
How Student Stars Are Accommodated
The participants in the study were asked to consider how a talent develop-
ment program for elite performers should accommodate individual differ-
ences in a rarified environment. Every Juilliard student, having advanced
through a rigorous and selective admissions process, can surely be labeled
as highly talented. They have bypassed other young people with equal prep- ..
aration and commitment who were unsuccessful atwinning a coveted spot
[At auditions] you learn how to read the person. I can tell from the minute
they walk in. I learn something about them by the way they are dressed. Then
I will learn something about them before they even play the first note, how
they're holding the instrument, and what are they doing to collect themselves
before they start. That is what I hate about audition behind the screen for or-
chestra. You are not getting a sense of the whole person. It becomes quite an-
tiseptic in a way. That's another thing they have to learn how to do, how to
play behind the screen, how to project themselves and be true to themselves
behind the screen. (Studio Teacher)
153
in the studio of a legendary teacher at a world-renowned conservatory. Hav-
ing achieved the goal of admission toJuilliard, however, new goals and aspi-
rations are generated and some students stand out as extraordinary, even
among their gifted peers.
The institution has moved significantly beyond its earlier reputation of
exclusive attention to stars. Despite serious efforts at making talent develop-
ment opportunities more equitable, some individuals persist in being more
visible and generate more excitement than do their peers. At this stage of
training, much of the basic technique preparation is in place and conserva-
tory teachers focus on identifying students' strengths expressly to exagger-
ate individual differences. Variation increases with exposure to the curricu-
lum and instruction offered at Juilliard.
Over the years, Juilliard has added significantly to the number of per-
formance opportunities available to all students. Singers can be featured in
art songs or in arias, whereas instrumentalists and composers can play in
chamber music and orchestra venues. In the course of this exposure, some
students stand out as having distinct star power.
The reality of star power forces certain choices on the institution and its
students. First, the school must strike a balance between its responsibility to
fulfill each student's need for some public exposure and the need that de-
veloping stars have for exercising increasingly challenging repertoire. In
contrast to an earlier era when stars were featured at the expense of other
students, the current ethos is one of "paying dues." Students who have been
in the program longest get first "dibs" on performance opportunities when-
ever possible. Rules have also been instituted whereby winners of a con-
certo competition may not compete again during their degree program at
Juilliard. Efforts to make performance opportunities more equitable are
offset for the stars by the reality that many of them perform regularly both
inside and outside the school in a variety of venues.
Studio teachers tailor their lessons for stars to include more advanced
material and more directed career advising, such as what opportunities are
out there and when to go for them. Classroom teachers accommodate stu-
dent stars by enrolling those who pass placement examinations into more
advanced sections of theory and ear training, and may arrange for tutoring
or coaching students who miss sessions because they are "concertizing."
Teachers must also weigh the degree to which public exposure is
healthy or even wise for long-term career development. Most teachers are
proud of their students' success in achieving recognition both inside and
outside of the institution. Others are concerned that the work required to
prepare for a competition or performance, such as an intense focus over
several months on mastering a program of work selected with ticket sales
in mind, is not a good investment of time. Also, many instruments have
limited solo repertoire, and featuring one's ability as an excellent team
8. TRANSFORMING ELITE MUSICIANS SUBOTNIK
Over the course of the baccalaureate program, particularly in seminars
and elective courses designed to address career matters, students are en-
couraged to seek a psychological balance. They need to acquire a thick skin
to tolerate the frustration of rejection in such a highly competitive per-
formance world. At the same time, they must be able to display composure
and be a good colleague. Students are reminded that their classmates may
be future ensemble or orchestra colleagues, be in positions to recommend
hiring you, and may also serve as competitors. In any small community, it is
best to neither hold grudges nor to be the subject of them. These lessons
are discussed explicitly in departmental seminars.
152
Another relatively new component of the curriculum is the focus on
practical knowledge in attaining a successful career in music. Each depart-
ment conveys this information in its own way. Students learn how to write
resumes, conduct themselves in auditions, dress, organize an interesting
performance program, and also to consider positions as accompanists, crit-
ics, and so on. The most practical creative skill thatJuilliard students imple-
ment as part of their career is teaching, and far more attention is being paid
by studio and classroom teachers than in the past to having students think
metacognitively about how they might help another student solve the same
musical problem.
Students learn to convey their personal style performing behind a screen,
because many auditions for orchestra positions are held in that manner, a
process instituted at mid-eentury to eliminate gender or racial bias.
These particular gentlemen [in my studio] are going to be stars, but emotion-
ally they are not ready. They are not mature enough. I've seen incredible
transformations of people in four years. (Studio Teacher)
player may be a better way to ensure future employment. Still others claim
that winning a competition has little predictive validity when it comes to
future career eminence. And in late-developing talent domains like voice,
there is some debate as to whether an undergraduate is wise to strain his
or her still-immature instrument.
The general consensus of the participating faculty and administration
was that the student stars tended to be among those most committed to
their entire program of study. Matriculating students must meet atten-
dance quotas (no more than 2 weeks' absence at a stretch or 8 classes in a
semester) and notify the school about extended absences for outside per-
formance obligations (a special form is completed and signed by classroom
and studio teachers) . Any missed classroom material must be made up; and
teachers or coaches are available to help those who do not abuse the atten-
dance policy.
155
I do sense that even though this a competitive place, those people who are on
top really do earn a lot of respect from the other students, from their peers.
The lesser lights are going to feel some sense of envy of that Idnd of accom-
plishment. But I think there's also a sense that those people are there because
Not being a star doesn't usually lead to very great joy, unless you are the kind
of person whosejoy comes from being inundated by music. If the music is its
own reward you can be happy [playing] in a cocktail lounge, or on a cruise
ship. If the music itself is not its own reward you are going to get in trouble if
you are not a star. And if you are a star you can get into trouble too. Stars do
break a hand. (Classroom Teacher)
The only ones who get jealous are those that are getting left behind. There
are kids who try to keep up and try to keep up, but they have bad luck, they
get sick or something [else] that prevents them from practicing, or they get
tendonitis. Prestige comes from having a really well rounded sense ofwho you
are and knowing that you're valuable and having your friends love you for it.
(Classroom Teacher)
Curtis Institute of Music admits the number ofstudents they need to fill an or-
chestra, and that's it. They don't have any extras and so they really don't per-
mit people to go out and concertize because the orchestra can't function
without everyone there. AtJuilliard we have more students in orchestra than
we need so that people can take off. We design the orchestra schedule so that
no one student would ever be required to do the entire orchestra schedule. It
would be inhumane. We have, let's say, 50% more than we need in one of the
orchestras, so they rotate throughout. (Administrator)
But isn't it like that in baseball, or basketball? The team members know who
are the gifted ones. And they're all good. They all can make the game hap-
pen. They can all get together and do a sing-in or an opera or something, but
they know who the really gifted ones are. (Studio Teacher)
How Students Respond to Student Stars
According to the administrators and teachers that we interviewed, students
respond to peers in the limelight with a mixture of envy and awe, especially
when cast lists or orchestra positions are posted or when students discuss
whether to attend a peers' recital. Some undergraduates (one or two a
year) have numerous concert engagements and powerful managers. Others
are visibly active in student or faculty productions. From the perspective of
faculty and staff, the degree to which students experience negative rather
than positive emotion when comparing themselves to their peers is related
to their maturity, self-confidence, and social skills.
8. TRANSFORMING ELITE MUSICIANS SUBOTNIK
We were talking about what happens to these very prodigious talents among
singers. They can go out and work early. Some of the young artists at the Met
are singing roles in their early 20s. And so in a sense we're competing with
that. And we have to be realistic and give them enough to do while they're
here because at this point, they can be out working. On the other hand, it can
be very beneficial to them, over the long run, to nurse themselves along a lit-
tle slower, and perhaps get a couple of opportunities, and yet still have a safe
place to explore, and to grow, and not just suddenly expect to be full-fledged
at a tender age. So with stars and singing, it's a very tricky thing. (Classroom
Teacher)
We have an excused absence form so that everybody knows [the student is]
gone, so they know [the student has] to do the workin order to pass the class.
Teachers do have limits beyond which will earn the student an insufficient at-
tendance grade, so it's partly myjob to persuade the student not to be gone
that much and [persuade] the teacher to give the kid credit for the class if he
knows the material. The tension there is that we devise classes so that class
participation is a substantial part of the grade so they don't have to write tons
of papers, they don't have to read tons of books each semester, a lot of the
learning happens in the classroom. If they're not in 'the class then they do
miss a large part of the value of the class.... But if they're going to graduate
from this school it means something, and they may have to defer some of
those concerts until after they have graduated, so they can satisfy the require-
ments, which I think are very flexible. We try to be flexible; we try to let peo-
ple do what they want to do. (Administrator)
154
they really are good and you have to respect what's good. It really elicits a
gamut of emotions. (Administrator)
There are students who come in that are obviously at a much higher level to
begin with. In my class this year, there is a student who is far and away above
the others. Do they envy him? For sure. They also admire him and look to him
for advice and help. And he, I must say, is a great colleague and a lovely sweet
kid, who's also looking to learn something there. He doesn't have an attitude,
at least that I'm aware of. I've seen the other kind too. Usually the kind that is
I learned much more from my peers than from any of my teachers here be-
cause you really get a sense of the top level of excellence in your own age
group, and that's invaluable. And the students who have the right attitude
here benefit the same way. We have the Itzhak Perlmans of the future in this
school right now. Ifyou look at it as something to fear or to shun or to resent,
then you're cheating yourself out of a fantastic educational opportunity. (Stu-
dio Teacher)
157 8. TRANSFORMING ELITE MUSICIANS
These top achieving students have their goal set on moving beyond the
label of star, toward the much-desired label of artist.
stuck up and is not quite as gifted somehow, or as interested in what's going
on. It seems to me that the people who are the top achievers, the people at
the very, very top tend to be so because they are interested in learning and
taking advantage of any and every opportunity that crosses their path. (Studio
Teacher)
Dealing With Underachievers
As a composer, you have to pound the pavement. You have to be a go-getter.
If you are not, most likely your compositions are not going to be heard. And
there are certain composers whom I haven't really heard from much all year.
I encourage people to come up to me at any time, knock on the door, show
me a score. I want to see all their stuff. Maybe I can point them in the right di-
rection. I just got a call from someone who needs a composer to do a short
film. I will think about it tonight and give a number out and someone will get
a gig out of it. As in anything, there are hierarchical levels, even among stu-
dents, about who are the foremost leaders of their group. And maybe these
composers will change one day and maybe they won't. (Administrator)
Underachievement can be exhibited in either the performance dimen-
sion of the curriculum or in the classroom component (including liberal
arts, ear training, and theory). Students who come unprepared for their les-
sons or rehearsals, do poorly onjuries or orchestra auditions, or engage in
difficult relationships with their studio teacher or coaches are often advised
to seek another type of higher education or career path. Poor communica-
tion with a studio teacher can be devastating for the talent development
process, but on occasion, a switch to another teacher has alleviated the
problem.
When students fail to fulfill their classroom obligations they are recom-
mended for tutoring by a student coach. If there is no improvement and a
pattern of failure is established in either studio or classroom, a four-step
Just as stars emerge from a cohort of talented students, so do underachiev-
ers. According to the Juilliard administration, there are one or two individ-
uals a year who have special arrangements made to accommodate their bur-
geoning public concert careers. There are also one or two individuals a year
that are dismissed from the program. Between these extremes, there are
stars whose brilliance is recognized within the school community but not
yet by the public at large and there are underachievers who become in-
creasingly invisible to their classmates, teachers, and the administration.
SUBOTNIK
156
If envy orjealousy does get in the way of a student's productivity,juilliard
has a comprehensive support system in place. Professional psychological
services, yoga classes, a workout room, and more informal counseling are
all available. This is especially important given the competitiveness of the
music world, particularly in New York City.
Those students who handle comparisons with stars the best tend to view
them as peer teachers and sources of stimulation.
Even under the best circumstances some stars may feel isolated. Al-
though stars advance beyond their peers, they still seek their peers' com-
pany. A soloist who is willing to play second violin for a student composition
or.serve as a dependable ensemble member is less likely to elicit negative
feelings. The faculty commented on how it is smart for stars to be good citi-
zens to maintain a positive reputation, solid friendships, and support.
Being labeled a star does not mean that you are simply a really great
player. According to the interviewees, there are other factors like drive and
charisma that enter into the picture as well. According to several of our par-
ticipants, acquiring the label of star comes from capitalizing on whatever
opportunities are made available to them, like performing with members of
other departments or divisions or introducing themselves to visiting artists.
Stars probably get some opportunities to play because they have become well
known around school, having won a concerto competition, for example. Also
they tend to be very motivated students who participate in a lot of projects
with other students, and thus get asked to play in special performances, such
as a Tully Hall chamber music program. It's not that they're necessarily given
special opportunities, but they wind up taking some of the important roles.
(Administrator)
158
SUBOTNIK 8. TRANSFORMING ELITE MUSICIANS 159
process is put into place: a letter of concern, formal warning, probation,
and finally, dismissal.
We might sayan underachiever is a person who doesn't belong here. So ifin
their jury examinations or their orchestral auditions their grades are very
much at the bottom we try to encourage them to think about doing some-
thing different with their life. A friend once told me that ... it's a whole lot
easier to be a mediocre lawyer than to be a mediocre violinist, and so he be-
came a lawyer, still plays, enjoys music. That's the kind of counseling that I
try to do with people who might be described as underachievers. However,
there are very talented kids who get in by playing a wonderfully intuitive au-
dition, who don't develop once they're here. They don't work so we either
have to light a fire or kick them out, and sometimes the best way to light a
fire is to kick them out, Then they come back realizing that they have to do
the work or else they're not going to survive. I'm the heavy. It's a task that I
am pleased to do because I don't think it's unkind to make a person con-
front reality. I think it's the kindest thing that I can do, and if the talent isn't
there it may result in them crying. I want them to know that they really need
to do something else because it is going to be a frustration for the rest of
their lives. I think it's immoral to allow them to go through four years of
school knowing that when they graduate they are not going to be able to get
a job. (Administrator)
A less dramatic display of underachievement that frustrates the faculty
comes in the form of insufficient intellectual curiosity. They speculate that
the problem develops from preoccupation with performance goals, or from
a kind of mental inertia that precludes stretching into other disciplines,
although it might better inform musical performance.
Lots of faculty members are saying the same thing. They'll say that the stan-
dard of playing is higher than it's ever been. Chamber ensemble sounds
better than it ever did. The orchestra sounds better than it ever did, but
they're not intellectually curious or imaginative. We have lots of classes filled
~ students for whom the idea of going out and experiencing on your own
IS not part of the learning experience. (Classroom Teacher)
I told the students to meet me at the gallery the next week instead of in the
classroom. Out of a class of 24 people, only 4 of them had ever been to SoHo
[a district in New York with many art galleries]. Mind you, these are kids who
are 22 years old and have lived in NewYork for at least four years. Most of this
class had never been below 57th street, because 57th street is where Carnegie
Hall is. (Classroom Teacher)
Unlike student stars, underachievers may not introduce themselves to a
guest artist visiting a class, or grab any opportunity to make some kind of
connection. Nor are they hungry to capture one of the few performance
dates available for optional and extra student performances in the various
halls in the building.
Our interviewees expressed the opinion that underachievers who persist
in their behavior by the second yearjury examination, despite intervention,
should be counseled out of the school. However, the school ethos is that ifa
student was sufficiently talented to be accepted, every effort should be
made to help that person be successful.
Students' Reactions to Underachieving Classmates
The long hours and high stress of a rigorous conservatory curriculum can
enhance the bonds among students. Although stars can elicit feelings of
envy and awe, the underachievers do not appear to be held in contempt, ac-
cording to the faculty and staff. The line is drawn, however, when behavior
disrupts the learning or performance quality of other students. Disturbance
can come in various forms, even with inconsiderate dormitory conditions.
I think they get frustrated with each other when they feel like someone's be-
ing disruptive and interfering in terms of their achievement. For example,
over in the residence hall we try to maintain an environment that's conducive
to performance excellence and academic success, which means that we have
quiet hours and visitation hours. We don't want an environment where the
students can't get enough sleep because people are being loud and being dis-
respectful. And when that kind of thing happens, they do lose their patience
with their peers. They expect their peers to be understanding that, "Look,
I've got a major performance tomorrow, and I need some peace and quiet. I
expect you to give it to me, because you, of all people, should understand
what I'm going through because you're a performing artist too." They do con-
front each other, or come and talk to us about somebody's not being coopera-
tive, orsomebody's being disruptive and how it's affecting them. (Administra-
tor)
In nonstudio classes, students expect that standards for class are main-
tained even when one is not interested. In studio class, some students re-
sent listening to students who have not prepared, and ensemble members
do not appreciate a participant who has not rehearsed his or her part.
If you are in a [university] classroom and you are not prepared, you are the
only one who suffers the consequences, but if you are part of a debate team,
that is all entirely different situation. Ifyou are in an ensemble andyou do not
know your part, you may compromise the performance of the ensemble. In
the worst case, if the ensemble is canceled because of this, no one gets to per-
APPLICATIONS OF THE CONSERVATORYMODEL
TO THE EDUCATION OF ELITE TALENT
IN THE ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES
Our interviewees believe that poor performance in the classroom or stu-
dio can result from excess stress, a change ofheart about one's life goals, an
inappropriate match with a teacher, or a mismatch between the values of
the student and the institution. Put into perspective, however, the inci-
dence of underachievement is small and must be viewed relative to the
enormous achievement motivation of the student body.
form. We have a small department and may not have someone able to replace
the person who is ill prepared. These situations come up, and we are trying to
find ways to deal fairly with the issues created bythem. A consequence might
be loss of coaching privileges, not being able to participate in special events,
etc. We want to keep the good will of the students who are prepared and help
the others meet their responsibilities by finding out the reasons for the prob-
lem, offering help, setting standards, and having consequences for certain ac-
tions. (Studio Teacher)
161
In preparation for the audition, there are certainly many decisions to be
made by both teacher and student about which pieces to choose to high-
light a person's strengths. This processof selection can be of vast learning
value.
Auditions also have drawbacks. They are certainly subjective. Candidates
can be disregarded if their appearance or manner seem off-putting. Biases
against certain groups can also come to the fore with little accountability
for the decisions made. Second, once the top candidates are selected, audi-
tion teams may fill open slots with those who are sufficiently pleasing to
most but not necessarily exciting to any.
Juilliard has dealt with these drawbacks in the following ways: One is to
deliver clear messages from the administration 'that a supremely talented
yet diverse student body is welcome and desired. The other is to limit the
number of undergraduates that are admitted to those who are sufficiently
A fast and slow movement from any concerto in the standard reper-
toire.
Any movement from a Bach unaccompanied sonata or partita. No re-
peats please, unless ornamented. A dance section and its double con-
stitute one movement.
Two contrasting brilliant concert pieces.
One Paganini Caprice and one study from Rode, Gavinies, Dont Op.
35, Wieniawski Op. 10, or Paganini Op. 1.
Major and minor scales and arpeggios in three octaves with double
stops.
One piece of the preceding must have been composed since 1939.
Memorization of music since 1939 is encouraged but optional. All
other compositions must be memorized except for duo sonatas. Please
minimize piano accompaniment interludes (application supplement
to the Juilliard School Viewbook, p. 10).
Employ Some Form of Audition for Purposes of Admission
Auditions have advantages and disadvantages. Their primary advantage is
that candidates are asked to display skills and talents directly related to the
program for which they are applying. Second, there are no secrets about
the preparation that is involved, because the requirements are made ex-
plicit. Most teachers who work with advanced students develop their in-
struction around this repertoire. There are no surprises, and no real way to
cheat.
For example, Juilliard requires its undergraduate violin applicants to
prepare the following for their audition:
8. TRANSFORMING EUTE MUSICIANS
SUBOTNIK 160
As a world-renowned conservatory with a long history of preparing elite mu-
sicians, the philosophies and practices ofJuilliard raise important questions
regarding the preparation of elite talent in other domains. The purpose of
this study was to explore the critical variables that contribute to the trans-
formation of extraordinary talent in music into professional artistry. The
study follows in the footsteps of explorations conducted in the sciences with
Westinghouse Science Talent Search winners (Subotnik & Steiner, 1994),
with high-IQ children grown up (Subotnik, Kassan, Summers, & Wasser,
1993), and with the Juilliard Pre-College Program (Subotnik, 2000). In
each case, an argument is made for more rigorous and individualized
teaching and learning based on extraordinary strengths and deep interests.
The conservatory model would be inappropriate for most undergraduate
students. Only a select few commit themselves to a particular career path on
entry and stay involved in preparing for that career by investing a large pro-
portion of their adolescence to furthering these pursuits. The proposed ad-
aptations are offered for working with undergraduate students who meet
the following two criteria: talent ofsufficiently high caliber to bejudged equivalent
to the talent exhibited byJuilliard students and a desire to pursue an academic disci-
pline deeply, possibly as a life's work. I argue that patterned after the success of
the conservatory with equally gifted students of the same age, academically
gifted students should receive doctoral type instruction during their under-
graduate years. Some suggestions for implementation follow.
Each Student Is Viewed as a Unique Challenge
With Their Own Profile of Skills, Talents, Personality, and
Intellectual Acuity and Interests
talented and prepared to benefit from the program. If any available slots re-
main in a department, they are filled with a qualified graduate student.
Students who are mathematically or scientifically gifted, who have been
participating in research projects, summer institutes, and camps, could be
invited to "audition" with department members at universities, rather than
or in addition to interviews conducted with the admissions staff. Modeled
after the Intel Talent Search, students who are extraordinarily talented in
academics could be admitted to an institution on the basis ofa two-step pro-
cess. First, submit samples of their work to the faculty in the discipline they
hope to pursue. Second, provide a brief oral presentation to the faculty on
what they have been learning and problems they would like to tackle. This
approach is used regularly with doctoral students and is especially helpful
in matching students with professors who are working in related areas. In
evaluating a student's submitted work and presentation, the department
would need to consider what resources are available in the program to for-
tify student weaknesses and develop unique strengths.
and science at their universities of choice. By the end of the sophomore
year, a third had left science and mathematics. Some were attracted by
other disciplines, and have pursued rewarding careers in those areas. Oth-
ers might have left because they were not able to keep up with the material.
Yet, to win the Westinghouse Science Talent Search, they had spent their
high school summers and afternoons in close contact with professors and
graduate students, often on the frontiers of a science subspecialty. Once
they got to college, a distinct number of winners were turned off by the in-
accessibility of meaningful laboratory opportunities until they werejuniors,
seniors, or even graduate students.
As for the practical knowledge gained from the explicit seminars on ca-
reer related topics, Sternberg et. al. (2000) has provided ample support for
how' this knowledge contributes to the success of individuals in different
fields. Certainly the socialization process could be made more consistently
available to gifted students. It is especially healthy for students to under-
stand the growing role played by personality, charisma, and drive in creat-
ing stars, not only at Juilliard but in every field. Specific practice in inter-
viewing, making presentations, networking, teamwork, problem selection,
solution selection, and time management would be invaluable to young
scholars. Too often in the university setting this information is provided.
haphazardly by mentors. Access to this information is too important to ca-
reer success to be left to chance.
163 8. TRANSFORMING ELITE MUSICIANS SUBOTNIK 162
Too much energy, emotion, and time can be wasted on competition with
others within a teacher's studio or a professor's laboratory. Comparisons are
inevitable, but self-flagellation is not. Two aspects of the Juilliard program
that help to alleviate this difficult situation include individualizing instruc-
tion in the studio and offering seminars geared to inculcating practical intel-
ligence. The studio teachers interviewed for this study say they love to teach.
They view each student as a challenge, and they are held accountable for
their students' success by way of juries, concerto competitions, job place-
ments, and the number of new students that wish to join their studio. They
are motivated to help nurture the artistry of their students so their students
can be successful in the deeply competitive music performance world.
Professional critics, managers, tax lawyers, and performers meet with stu-
dents in each department by way of explicit practical knowledge seminars.
As described in the interviews, students are reminded that their classmates
are to be treasured. They are current and future friends, supporters, and
teachers. They may also someday be a source of employment. Learning to
be gracious at all times and under all circumstances' is a goal that students
are asked to consider.
In the academic world, individualization would be welcome to under-
graduates. The elite group ofWestinghouse Science Talent Search winners
that I studied encountered large and anonymous classes in mathematics
Regular Opportnnities for Public Demonstration of
Learned Skills and Creative Work Should Be Available
Young talented scholars should be able to display their skills publicly in a va-
riety of venues. There is no reason why institutional research seminars and
roundtables should be solely in the purview of graduate students and post-
docs. Every opportunity to speak publicly about one's work helps to clarify
one's own thinking and to inform others about new and exciting ideas. Stu-
dent stars should be encouraged to make co-authored or even single
authored conference presentations and follow up with publication.
Annual juries are one way that student skills are displayed at the conser-
vatory. The entire faculty from the department attends these examinations
and gives a grade to the student. Novice scholars could benefit from an an-
nual jury of their skills and ideas evaluated by all the members of the de-
partment. The institution would also benefit by the "cross-pollination"
bound to result from hearing what is developing in the labs and the class-
rooms within a department. An even better idea, particularly in the aca-
demic realm, would be to provide written feedback on those presentations.
Students who have poor juries for 2 years in a row, who cannot keep up
Broadcast the Talents and Creative Productivity
of the Faculty and Encourage Students to Apply
to Programs Based on That Information
even after receiving coaching and assistance, disrupt the learning of others,
or show a lack of commitment should be counseled out of the program.
Stepping back into a broader liberal arts program might be more suitable
for an academically gifted student who is not yet ready to focus on one area
in such depth.
Focusing on one area should not preclude creative and meaningful in-
teractions with talented students and their professors in related disciplines.
The enrichment and insights that can be gained from interdisciplinary
projects parallel the path musicians make to achieve artistry. The path to
transformational scholarship would also be enhanced by such exposure.
Our colleges and universities need to promote the talents of their faculty to
undergraduates considering their programs. Students should be coming to
higher education with a sophisticated knowledge of their professors' work.
College teachers appear in public forums, and their work is available in li-
braries and on the Web. I have often wondered why there were so few
guides and Web sites that offer background information about faculty to
prospective undergraduate students who have clear career goals. The in-
ternet provides an opportunityfor highly talented mathematics and science
students to read the work published by various potential faculty mentors,
and to contact other students who have interacted with them in the labs.
Academic faculty at undergraduate institutions share intriguing lineages
just like their conservatory peers; they are also entitled to the veneration
that accompanies the special relationship between student and teacher in
the performing arts world.
In the course of this research, I was especially fascinated with the termi-
nology tagging the different stages of talent development in the music
world: one moved from being an instrumentalist to being a musician. If
one's performance and contributions were truly transformational, then
one could be called an artist. In the academic world, the parallel might go
from student, to academic, to scholar. The goal of this chapter was to high-
light some features of the process of talent development in classical
musical performance so that we might consider adapting them to our aca-
demic settings. After my immersion in the world ofJuilliard, I will never
again hear a performance without thinking of the effort, time, and pas-
sion that went into it. Nor will I advise a gifted student without. remember-
ing the lessons learned from the conservatory.
165
How did you end up atJuilliard?
What are your responsibilities?
What is your primary mission in fulfilling your responsibilities?
Please provide some commentary on the curriculum beyond the tradi-
tional conservatory offerings.
How much freedom do teachers have in instructional style and
strategies?
How are faculty recruited?
What factors make up elite level musical talent?
Which of those factors do you consider to be trainable at Juilliard?
Please provide some comments about the audition process including
anything you know about outreach.
Please provide comments about placement of new students with studio
teachers.
How are "stars" accommodated at Juilliard?
In your experience, how do students respond to the "stars?"
How are underachievers dealt with?
In your experience, howdo students respond to the underachievers?
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166 SUBOTNIK
EXTRACOGNITIVE ASPECTS
OF HIGH ABILIlY
AND THE IDEAL ENDS
OF DEVELOPMENT
Pan IV