Augustus D. Juilliard

Augustus D. Juilliard (April 19 1836 – April 25 1919) was an American businessman whose philanthropy built the renowned conservatory of dance, music, and theatre in New York City that bears his name.

Career

The son of immigrants from the Burgundy region of France, Juilliard was born at sea while his parents were en route to the United States. His parents were Jean Nicolas Juilliard, a shoemaker; and Anna Burlette, who were both Huguenots. Augustus was raised in Ohio. In 1866, he settled in New York City and worked for a manufacturing company of worsted fabrics. The company went bankrupt seven years later in 1873 and Augustus Juilliard created his own corporation, the Augustus D. Juilliard Company, in 1874 which distributed textiles including wool, silk, and cotton. He became a successful and wealthy merchant who added to his fortune through investments in banking, railroad and insurance. A patron of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History, he served as President of the Metropolitan Opera from 1892 until his death.

Death

Augustus D. Juilliard died in 1919, aged 83, and was interred in the family mausoleum at the Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New York.

Legacy

His will included gifts to hospitals, museums and other charitable causes but the vast majority of his estate was designated for the advancement of music in the United States. In 1924, his funds were used by the Trustees to establish the Juilliard Graduate School to assist excelling students with an advanced music education. In 1926, the school was merged with the New York Institute of Musical Art, a music academy established in 1905 by Dr. Frank Damrosch (godson of Franz Liszt) dedicated to providing a teaching level equaling that of the European conservatories.

References

*New York Times; June 27, 1919; Gives $5,000,000 to Advance Music. Will of A. D. Juilliard Provides Aid for Worthy Students and for Entertainment.

External links

* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8490150 Augustus Juilliard at Find-A-Grave]