After a Showdown, Juilliard’s President Retains Support of Board

When the charismatic former New York Metropolis Ballet star Damian Woetzel was named president of the distinguished Juilliard Faculty in 2017, the varsity’s highly effective chairman, Bruce Kovner, praised his “uncommon combine” of mental and creative qualities.

However earlier this yr Kovner advised Woetzel that an inside analysis had discovered a insecurity in his management and requested him to resign by the top of June, a yr earlier than the top of his contract, in accordance with a letter Woetzel despatched to the varsity’s trustees that was obtained by The New York Occasions.

Woetzel fought again and succeeded in rallying assist behind him, getting testimonials from a number of eminent artists together with the trumpeter and composer Wynton Marsalis, who directs Juilliard’s jazz program, and the pianist Emanuel Ax, a number one member of the school. And he wrote in his letter to trustees that the efficiency evaluation “was extraordinary and extremely inconsistent with finest apply in nonprofit governance — it was conceived, initiated and managed by our board chairman.”

Issues got here to a head at a board assembly final month. The trustees, when knowledgeable of the analysis and Kovner’s advice that Woetzel be eased out, declined to take action. Kovner, lengthy the varsity’s largest benefactor, is planning to step down this June after 22 years as its chairman, a transfer that one affiliate stated had lengthy been deliberate.

Kovner declined to remark, and Juilliard offered a press release from the board to The New York Occasions through which it stated that “at its most up-to-date assembly, the board strongly reaffirmed its assist for President Damian Woetzel” and the 10-year strategic plan that the varsity created in 2019.

The assertion stated that the board was “unwavering in its concentrate on the perfect pursuits of the scholars of the Juilliard Faculty, and stays dedicated to supporting the varsity’s distinctive school, employees and administration.”

Some noticed the battle as a uncommon energy wrestle between two outstanding figures within the cultural world, a showdown between previous guard and new blood.

Given Kovner’s immense affect as Juilliard’s largest patron — and as an vital determine at Lincoln Middle, Juilliard’s residence, the place he serves on the board and has given giant sums — some have been shocked to see Woetzel prevail. One trustee likened it to a David and Goliath story.

Woetzel, 54 — who earned a grasp’s diploma in public administration from the John F. Kennedy Faculty of Authorities at Harvard whereas nonetheless dancing — has constructed a nationwide status, having directed the Aspen Institute Arts Program and the Vail Worldwide Dance Competition and served on President Barack Obama’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities.

Kovner, 75, whose internet value Forbes estimates at $6.2 billion, has been one thing of a everlasting authorities at Juilliard, having served as chairman for an unusually very long time. Along with his spouse, Suzie, Kovner’s presents have included $25 million towards a brand new wing and scholarships in 2005; a trove of valuable music manuscripts in 2006; $20 million for the early music program in 2012; and $60 million for a brand new scholarship program in 2013.

At Lincoln Middle, Kovner was one of many largest donors to the redevelopment of the performing arts complicated, serves on the board of the Metropolitan Opera and was previously a trustee of the New York Philharmonic.

The standoff posed a problem for the board and the varsity, provided that Kovner’s ongoing assist of Juilliard stays essential.

Woetzel’s analysis was despatched to 49 members of the school and employees — together with each division head and 18 direct studies — 43 of whom responded to it anonymously. There are about 700 full-time and part-time members of Juilliard’s school and employees.

The evaluation was designed and carried out by Kovner and J. Christopher Kojima, a vice chairman, Woetzel’s letter to the board stated. His letter stated that it was “not carried out at an arm’s size distance by an impartial social gathering as is finest apply for nonprofit establishments of our scale.”

The responses included 143 feedback, greater than three-quarters of which have been destructive, in accordance with somebody aware of a abstract of the report who was granted anonymity to explain this delicate personnel matter.

The suggestions amounted to a number of key criticisms, in accordance with the abstract, which was described to The Occasions: that Woetzel targeted on efficiency as an alternative of schooling; had weak administrative management; did not seek the advice of school members on key choices; and created an environment of worry and intimidation.

A query about confidence in Juilliard’s future met with a destructive response from greater than half of those that responded, in accordance with the individual aware of the abstract.

On Jan. 27, Woetzel was requested to go away, in accordance with his letter to the board.

“Bruce Kovner communicated — on behalf of the Government Committee — that my service as president could be terminated previous to the top of my contract, and that the choice was ‘irrevocable,’” Woetzel wrote within the letter to trustees.

“Having communicated to me this intent to terminate,” the letter stated, “Bruce then emailed me a suggestion of a severance package deal that would come with a collectively crafted assertion that might create a false narrative that I used to be resigning as of June thirtieth.”

The letter gave Woetzel 96 hours to reply. He determined to not resign.

On Feb. 4, Kovner despatched the outcomes of the analysis to the total board, saying the findings have been regarding and could be mentioned on the recurrently scheduled board assembly 4 days later.

Woetzel marshaled assist from plenty of outstanding artists and colleagues, who despatched letters to the board prematurely of the assembly.

“Damian has a file of excellence in his management of the varsity, particularly throughout two pandemic years and these deeply troubling social, political and monetary occasions which have modified the social panorama of America,” Marsalis wrote in his letter, obtained by The Occasions. “He has been engaged with college students, school and board in trying to create a contemporary establishment that’s nimble and in a position to deal with the very actual issues of scholars and alumni all over the world.”

“I really feel how we’re going about this brings our ethics into query,” Marsalis continued. “This try to take away him appears to be poorly thought out, poorly executed, and it’ll place a stain on our establishment that even our love of assets and fragile spirit won’t simply take away.”

The trombone participant Weston Sprott, who’s the dean of Juilliard’s Preparatory Division, warned in an e mail to Ax, an influential school member, that “a call to terminate Damian will likely be extremely dangerous to the establishment.”

“Within the midst of managing the bumps and bruises that could possibly be anticipated in navigating the nationwide reckoning concerning racial injustice,” Sprott continued, “Damian has put collectively maybe probably the most various, inclusive and profitable management staff in our business — one that’s revered by college students and college and is the envy of its rivals.”

Kovner and the manager committee anticipate Woetzel to deal with the issues raised within the analysis with exterior coaches and underneath the steering of the trustee Reginald Van Lee, a former administration marketing consultant, in accordance with the individual aware of the abstract. However one trustee stated no such plan of action has been determined by the total board.

Woetzel began out as an unconventional alternative for Juilliard, having by no means labored in tutorial administration, not to mention at one of many world’s main performing arts faculties, which on the time of his appointment had a $110 million annual price range, a $1 billion endowment, and greater than 800 college students.

At Juilliard, Woetzel has made a number of noteworthy advances, securing a $50 million present to develop the varsity’s weekend coaching program aimed largely at Black and Latino schoolchildren; filling a number of key positions; and guiding the varsity by the difficult two years of the pandemic.

However he has additionally had bumps alongside the best way. After a drama workshop on the faculty involving the re-enactment of a slave public sale prompted an outcry, Woetzel issued a “heartfelt apology” in a observe to the group.

Final June, college students protested a deliberate tuition improve, occupying components of Juilliard’s Lincoln Middle campus and holding avenue demonstrations. (A number of different main music and drama faculties provide free tuition.)

Kovner, who made his fortune as a hedge fund supervisor, has contributed extensively to conservative causes and has served on the boards of the American Enterprise Institute and the Manhattan Institute, each right-leaning assume tanks. Final Could, Metropolis Journal, which is printed by the Manhattan Institute, criticized what it described as the varsity’s “rising cadre of variety bureaucrats” in an article headlined “The Revolution Involves Juilliard: Racial hysteria is consuming the varsity; unchecked, it’ll devour the humanities.”

Kovner has additionally supported left-leaning organizations, together with the Innocence Challenge, which goals to free the wrongfully convicted; and Lambda Authorized, dedicated to civil rights for lesbian, homosexual, bisexual and transgender folks.

Now Juilliard is making ready for the subsequent chapter. This week the varsity’s Duke Ellington Ensemble was scheduled to carry out a celebration of the twentieth anniversary of Juilliard Jazz on the Chelsea Manufacturing unit, a brand new arts area.