James Earl Jones, Athol Fugard and More to Receive Honorary Degrees from Juilliard

The Juilliard School holds its 107th Commencement Ceremony on Friday, May 25, 2012 at 11 AM in Alice Tully Hall (Broadway at 65th Street, NYC). Juilliard President Joseph W. Polisi will read special citations and present honorary degrees to these outstanding artists who will all be in attendance, garbed in Juilliard's colorful academic robes and velvet caps.

Receiving Juilliard's Honorary Doctor of Music are:
· Harpsichordist, conductor, and musicologist William Christie
· Grammy Award winner, singer Nancy Wilson

Receiving Juilliard's Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts are:
· Playwright, director, actor and recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Tony Award, Athol Fugard
· Actor and two-time Tony Award and Academy Award winner James Earl Jones
· Dancer, choreographer, and artistic director of the New York City Ballet Peter Martins

Receiving Juilliard's Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters are:
· Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith, Pulitzer Prize winning authors of the recent book, Van Gogh: The Life, and Jackson Pollack: An American Saga, and founders of the Juilliard in Aiken festival held annually in Aiken, South Carolina

Mr. Fugard's commencement address follows the honorary degree presentation.

Juilliard will award 277 (127 undergraduate and 150 graduate) degrees to its actors, dancers, playwrights, and jazz, operatic, and classical instrumental musicians.

As has become tradition in recent seasons, Juilliard's 107th Commencement Ceremony will be streamed so that the families of Juilliard's international graduating actors, dancers, and musicians are able to share the day. The public at large is invited to watch as well at: http://ww.juilliard.edu/live.