The China venture, which would serve students in kindergarten through the 12th grade, is not likely to open for several years. But once feasibility studies are completed, the plan is to move forward with the construction of an institute where children could study music; it would also be one of the only places outside the U.S. where prospective students could audition for admission to Juilliard. 

The project ties in with China’s ongoing plan for expansion of the arts. According to the nation’s current five-year plan, Time magazine reports, the equivalent of about $315 million “has been earmarked for a national arts fund.” Polisi was quoted in the same article as saying, “I see Chinese students, I see Chinese faculty members, I see Chinese educational administrators, who are all working towards an environment that is supportive of the classical arts.”

Under Christopher Mossey, vice president for global initiatives, Juilliard is also spearheading international projects in Mexico and Brazil, but the Chinese institute would be the most broad-based one. The other partners in the project are the Tianjin Innovative Finance Investment Co., the Tianjin Municipal Education Commission, and the Tianjin Conservatory of Music. “We envision the Institute will be an elite center for performing arts education serving all of East Asia,” Polisi said, “and a hub for all of Juilliard’s activities in this region.”