Augustus Juilliard

Augustus D. Juilliard (April 19, 1836 - April 25, 1919) was an American businessman whose philanthropy built the renowned conservatory of dance, music, and theatre in New York City that bears his name.

Related Topics:
April 19 - 1836 - April 25 - 1919 - American - New York City

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The son of immigrants from the Burgundy region of France, Juilliard was born at sea while his parents were enroute to the United States. He was raised in Ohio and in New York City became a successful and wealthy textile merchant who added to his fortune through investments in banking, railroad and insurance businesses. A patron of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History, he served as President of the Metropolitan Opera from 1892 until his death.

Related Topics:
Burgundy - France - Ohio - Textile - Metropolitan Museum of Art - American Museum of Natural History - Metropolitan Opera

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Augustus D. Juilliard died in 1919 and his will included gifts to hospitals, museums and other charitable causes but the vast majority of his estate was designated for the advancement of music in the United States. In 1924, his funds were used by the Trustees to establish the Juilliard Graduate School to assist excelling students with an advanced music education. In 1926, the school was merged with the New York Institute of Musical Art, a music academy established in 1905 by Dr. Frank Damrosch (godson of Franz Liszt) dedicated to providing a teaching level equaling that of the European conservatories.

Related Topics:
Dr. Frank Damrosch - Franz Liszt - Europe

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Today, The Juilliard School is one of the most respected institutions of its kind in the world.

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Augustus Juilliard is interred in the family mausoleum at the Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New York.

Related Topics:
Woodlawn Cemetery - The Bronx, New York

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