Juilliard School Receives $60 Million for Fellowship Program

Juilliard School President Joseph W. Polisi has announced creation of the Kovner Fellowship Program, endowed with a gift of $60 million from Bruce and Suzie Kovner, long-time supporters of the school. Providing full tuition, room and board, and living expenses, the fellowships will cover the full cost of attendance beginning with 25 students in the first year and increasing up to 52 undergraduate and graduate students annually by 2018.

It is the only scholarship program that covers all expenses for the entire course of study at Juilliard, Polisi said:

This extraordinarily generous and visionary gift from Bruce and Suzie Kovner will ensure that future highly gifted Juilliard musicians will be able to pursue their studies with no financial concerns, freeing them from the heavy debt burden that has caused long-term financial challenges for many students.

The Kovners’ support of our performing artists reinforces Juilliard’s ongoing commitment to educate future generations of artists who will bring their talents to communities large and small around the world in the time ahead.

Juilliard alumnus and current faculty member pianist Emanuel Ax said:

The prospect of seeing these hugely talented young people have the luxury of focusing on their studies and musical growth is absolutely thrilling. I am overwhelmed by the generosity and thoughtfulness of this gift and can only express to Bruce and Suzie deep gratitude on behalf of the many wonderful kids whose life this will change.

Kovner Fellows will be designated from among music students applying to the school and from among current undergraduate and master’s level students. The primary focus of this contribution is to create the Kovner Fellowship Program for classical music students, but a portion of the gift will be allocated to sustain general scholarship levels for all students across the three Juilliard divisions of dance, drama, and music.

Kovner, born 1945 in the Bronx, is the founder and chairman of Caxton Associates, a hedge fund that trades a global macro strategy and is considered amongst the world's largest hedge funds with an estimated $14 billion under management. He has been chairman of the Juilliard’s board since 2001; Suzie Kovner is a member of the Juilliard Drama Council.