In the College Division there are six permanently endowed new scholarships. The Bernard Jaffe Scholarship honors the memory of a man who played the flute by avocation throughout his life while excelling in engineering and business. This inspired new award was begun by Bernard’s widow, Fern Jaffe. The scholarship provides support for a Juilliard composer over two years of graduate study, during which time a new work for flute will be composed and performed, thereby enriching the flute repertoire. Mel Silverman, who has previously endowed scholarships in dance, drama, and voice, has just endowed the Lena Silverman and Gertrude Cohen Memorial Violin Scholarship. Named for Mel’s mother and aunt, the scholarship reflects his gratitude for their encouragement of his talents, though his accomplishments were ultimately not in violin. 

Mary H. Vinton, an appreciative and discerning member of the audience at Juilliard, has established the Mary H. Vinton Scholarship, designated for jazz students. Mary can often be found enjoying jazz concerts here, and her generous gift is a meaningful celebration of the 10th anniversary of Jazz Studies at Juilliard. Sky Cooper, president of Charles Jacquin et Cie, endowed the Norton J. “Sky” Cooper Scholarship for music students. Juilliard also received a bequest from the Estate of Frances L. Koltun to establish the Rose Koltun Scholarship in Piano, in tribute to these two sisters’ lifelong love of piano. With a generous bequest from the Estate of Beatrice Claudine Elsemiller, female voice students will benefit from the Madeline Elsemiller Scholarship in Voice. 

The Pre-College Division received several new awards. Pre-College faculty member and alumnus Manuel Sosa (B.M. ’91, M.M. ’84, DMA ’02) and his wife, Ileen Kohn-Sosa, have endowed the Nydia and Domingo Sosa Scholarship (for Pre-College composition students, with preference for those of Latin American heritage) in honor of Manuel’s parents. Longtime College Division scholarship benefactors Marjorie and Bernard Sunshine have endowed the Lenore Greiman Memorial Scholarship in honor of Marjorie’s sister’s lifelong commitment to education. Susanna Berger, who with her late husband generously supported Juilliard for many years, has endowed the Jason and Susanna Berger Scholarship. Pre-College voice students will benefit from the new Mildred Dreier Scholarship, which was established by her daughter, Francine Ehrlich, in honor of Mildred’s 90th birthday. 

The NetJets Scholarship was begun with a generous contribution from personal aviation company NetJets, which held its client holiday celebration at Juilliard in December.  For most of the more than 200 guests, it was a dazzling first experience of Juilliard artistry. Several other people were also impressed by their encounters with the School and decided to nurture its talent firsthand. The Andrew Willoughby Scholarship is an award for dancers created by an Australian businessman and dance enthusiast who made his first visit to Juilliard last spring. Venezuelan publisher Andrés Mata Osorio made a gift establishing the Andrés Mata Osorio Drama Scholarship, and New York attorney Lillian Kraemer created the Lillian Kraemer Drama Scholarship. Helen Little is the benefactor behind Thea’s Little Sister Scholarship, a new award for dance students. The Nichols Foundation Scholarship and the Sidney E. Frank Scholarship were both created with generous foundation support. The Allen R. and Judy Brick Freedman Scholarship is the latest expression of generosity by the Freedmans, who are avid Juilliard patrons. Longtime Drama Division benefactors Michael Wolkowitz and Hope Holiner have established the Anita Keal Wolkowitz Scholarship for drama students in honor of his mother’s stage career and recent milestone birthday.  

Alumni and their families have a special understanding of the importance of scholarships. The Mark Hsiao and Howard Koeppel Scholarship is a music award begun with the generosity of  Hsiao (B.M. ’84, M.M. ’85, piano) and his partner. Friends and family of the late Doris Rudko, a member of Juilliard’s dance faculty from 1969 to 1992, have honored her memory with the Doris Rudko Dance Scholarship. Fannie Siegel and her sister Hilda Niedelman established the Norman Siegel Scholarship in Composition, a Pre-College award. (See sidebar.) Pre-College cello alumnus Richard Shin contributed an award for Pre-College string instrumentalists, the Richard Shin Scholarship. The Loretta and Samuel Chang Scholarship is the gift of Dr. Samuel E. Chang (B.M. ’90, piano) and his wife, Dr. Loretta Chang. The Sperie Karas Percussion Scholarship was given by his family in celebration of a milestone birthday of Sperie Karas (B.S. ’54, percussion). 

The School always welcomes the opportunity to discuss ways to support our educational and artistic activities through a variety of programs including unrestricted gifts, currently funded or endowed scholarships, instrument donation, special project support, bequests, and other planned gifts. Named current scholarships in the College Division begin with a gift of $2,500 or more, and permanently endowed named scholarships may be established with a gift of $50,000 or more. For more information about contributing to Juilliard, please call the Office of Development and Public Affairs at (212) 799-5000, ext. 278, or visit juilliard.edu/giving/scholarship-giving.