Joseph W. Polisi

A comprehensive history of the creation and growth of Lincoln Center, exploring the interconnections between politicians, financiers, and performing artists “Masterful. . . . A powerful work of nonfiction with the drama of a novel.”—Jaap van Zweden, Wall Street Journal In this comprehensive history of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, longtime Juilliard president Joseph Polisi guides us through the complex convergence of the worlds of politics, finance, and the performing arts throughout the years of the Center’s history, including the roles played by Robert Moses, John D. Rockefeller 3rd, Leonard Bernstein, William Schuman, Elia Kazan, Joseph Papp, Alice Tully, Beverly Sills, and many others. Polisi explores the social and political environment during the Center’s history, reflecting the growth and evolution of the performing arts in America from its post–World War II roots to the present day of global interaction. The history of the birth and growth of this unique institution is a story of determination, economic acumen, political machinations, artistic innovations, and above all the strong belief that the arts are at the center of the fabric of American society and that they should be supported and embraced by all citizens.

The Artist as Citizen is a compilation of Joseph W. Polisi's articles and speeches from his more than three-decade tenure as president of the Juilliard School. Ranging from inspirational to humorous to political, his writings focus on the role of the performing artist as a leader and communicator of human values. The collection provides an insider's view of the state of the performing arts and performing arts education in our society. Much needs to be accomplished to keep the classical performing arts alive for future generations, and Polisi, world-renowned in his field of performing arts education, guides the way. He also addresses the important role that Juilliard plays in the workings of Lincoln Center in New York City and the politics and personalities involved in governing the world's greatest performing arts center. This inspiring, incisive, and entertaining book has been updated with several new speeches and extensively revised chapters. It is a must-read for educators, performers, and anyone who cares about the future of the performing arts in America.

President of the Juilliard School and then Lincoln Center from 1945 to 1968, Schuman (1910-1992) was an 'artistic catalyst' who was instrumental in shaping how America perceived and supported music, dance and drama in the second half of the twentieth century. His influence as an administrator, educator and composer made him known during this period as 'the most powerful person in the arts in the United States.'Complex, driven, and filled with a confident optimism that characterized America of the time, he thought of himself as 'part of many different worlds.' Those worlds included his life as a composer of more than one hundred works in chamber, orchestral, operatic, and choral settings. His music has been characterized as 'full of American directness in its vibrant rhythms and brilliant orchestrations.' This first-ever complete biography of Schuman will bring the many threads of his life together within the context of the personalities and events that shaped how we experience the arts in America in the twenty-first century.

The Artist as Citizen is a compilation of Joseph W. Polisi's articles and speeches from his two-decade tenure as president of the Juilliard School. His writings focus on the role of the artist in American society as a leader and communicator of human values. The extended prologue includes Polisi's recollections of his early days at Juilliard and the selection process that resulted in his appointment as the school's sixth president. Also included is a discussion of the important role that Juilliard plays in the workings of Lincoln Center. Polisi makes a strong point that "there should be no dividing line between artistic excellence and social consciousness." He contends that the traditional "self-absorbed artist" is the wrong model for the arts in America in the 21st century.