NEW YORK —The Juilliard School, one of the nation’s top performing arts colleges, has received a grant of $50 million for its Music Advancement Program (MAP) from Crankstart. This transformational grant furthers MAP’s mission to increase access to arts education for communities historically underserved and underrepresented in classical music.
Crankstart is family foundation based in San Francisco and founded by venture capitalist Mike Moritz.
In addition to providing full-tuition scholarships for all participants, the $50 million grant will provide the necessary funds to expand recruitment efforts and increase enrollment from 70 to 100 students. Also funded are additional program investments, including increased faculty and staff to provide greater support and individualized attention to students; support for guest artists; and an instrument fund to assist students. In addition, the grant envisions the creation of a program for students in earlier stages of their musical development. This program, which is still in the development phase, would serve as an extension of the MAP model.
MAP is Juilliard’s Saturday program for intermediate and advanced music students ages 8-18 from New York City’s five boroughs and the tristate area, which actively recruits students from backgrounds underrepresented in classical music. The program is led by Artistic Director Anthony McGill, principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic and a Juilliard MAP and College Division faculty member. MAP is an integral program of Juilliard’s Preparatory Division, along with the Pre-College program, a global program serving advanced students from over 10 countries. The Preparatory Division is led by Dean Weston Sprott, trombonist in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Pre-College faculty member.
“We are deeply grateful for Crankstart’s extraordinary commitment to the future of MAP and with it, the future of music,” said Damian Woetzel, president of the Juilliard School. “Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program is dedicated to addressing inequities in access to classical music education, and this gift will have a tremendous ripple effect in our community and in the music world writ large. I extend my gratitude to our MAP faculty and staff for their tireless service, and to Anthony McGill and Weston Sprott for their leadership and vision, which has supercharged MAP since 2019 when they became artistic director and dean, respectively.”
“Crankstart recognizes Juilliard’s commitment to preparing students from diverse backgrounds for roles as top-flight musicians in leading orchestras and ensembles around the world. Today the proportion of Black and Hispanic musicians in professional orchestras is only 4 percent. MAP’s commitment to recruiting underrepresented minorities will help bring new spirit, as well as superb young musicians, to orchestras, concert halls and theaters everywhere,” said Harriet Heyman from Crankstart.
In 2012, Crankstart stabilized funding for MAP with a $5 million grant after budget stress caused by the 2008 economic downturn. Today’s commitment builds on the generosity of the foundation and many others who have supported MAP since its inception.
“This gift is incredibly meaningful in that it will affect a staggering number of students for years to come,” said Anthony McGill, artistic director of the Music Advancement Program. “At MAP, we discover and encourage young talent, foster a community of compassionate citizens, and celebrate the power of music. Harriet and Michael Moritz’s generosity broadens our reach, expands the artistic and educational possibilities for these talented musicians, and opens pathways for them as artists and future leaders in the world.”
Since 2010, 61 MAP alumni have been accepted into Juilliard’s Pre-College program, and seven have studied in the College Division. MAP alumni have gone on to study music at the preparatory and conservatory level at the Manhattan School of Music, Berklee College of Music, the Hartt School at University of Hartford, Mannes School of Music at the New School, Ithaca College, Johns Hopkins University/Peabody Conservatory, Harvard University, and New England Conservatory, among others.
Distinguished MAP alumni include conductor Tito Muñoz, bassist Carlos Henriquez, and Grammy Award-winning flutist and composer Nathalie Joachim. Joachim graduated from Juilliard’s MAP, Pre-College, and college programs, has served as a MAP faculty member, and is currently a Juilliard Creative Associate.
“Attending MAP as a child was a defining moment in my life that ultimately led to the career I am so proud to be enjoying today,” said Joachim. “The impact it had on me and the community it provided is still palpable, and my appreciation for the work being done there has deepened my own commitment to music education through the years. As an alum and former faculty member, I am thrilled at the news of this generous gift, which will secure the program for years to come, and allow for many more success stories like my own to be possible. I look forward to watching the program grow, and will continue to be an ambassador for its success.”
“Thanks to Crankstart, MAP’s reach can now extend further, offering more aspiring young musicians and their peers the opportunity to study in a supportive environment with our accomplished faculty,” said Weston Sprott, dean of the Preparatory Division. “I look forward to continuing to nurture their talents, and as with all of our students in both MAP and Pre-College, preparing them to reach their fullest potential as artists and citizens.”
More information about MAP including how to apply is available on the Juilliard website. MAP is now accepting applications for the 2022-23 academic year. Applications are due March 1.
