Juilliard's FALL FESTIVAL to Launch 2026-27 Performance Season

This month, Juilliard's third annual Fall Festival kickstarts New York's fall performance season with dynamic performances across Juilliard's Music, Dance, Drama, Preparatory, and Extension divisions.

Fall Festival launches programming throughout the year on campus and across New York City that offers audiences an expansive view of the artistry thriving at Juilliard.

Fall Festival highlights include:

• September 16: Fall Festival begins with Opening Night: A Celebration of Miles Davis, a salute to the centennial of alum Miles Davis ('45, trumpet) and a celebration of the 25th anniversary of Juilliard Jazz and the 75th anniversary of the Dance Division, directed by Arnhold Creative Associate at Large Jamar Roberts.
• September 17: The Atlantic and Juilliard Present: A Soundtrack of a Nation, a special partnership on opening night of the Atlantic Festival. Produced by Damian Woetzel, artists and musicians trace the evolution of the “American sound” as the U.S. marks its 250th anniversary. The event features performances by Juilliard alums Laura Linney (Group 19), Summer Camargo (BM '23, MM '24, jazz studies), Kate Morton (MM '25, voice), and Davóne Tines (MM '13, voice), Arnhold Creative Associates Nicholas Britell (Pre-College '99, piano), Michelle Dorrance, and Rhiannon Giddens, and multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell.
• September 18: Directed by Rachel Podger, Shakespeare Restored: Music From the London Theaters features Juilliard415, singers from the Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts, and actors from the Drama Division in a concert that brings to life the vibrant spirit of Restoration theater.
• September 19: Juilliard Outdoors: PLAZAWORK 2026 transforms Lincoln Center's Hearst Plaza into an outdoor space where artists respond in real time to creative prompts, shaping a work that is continually in motion and unique to its outdoor setting.
• September 19: Grammy Award–winning composer and conductor Teddy Abrams, leads the Juilliard Orchestra in a program featuring the world premiere of the Juilliard commission Three Movements on Silence by 2025 Pisar Prize winner Elise Arancio (MM '25, composition), 2026 Pulitzer Prize winner Gabriela Lena Frank's Apu: Tone Poem for Orchestra, El Salón México by Aaron Copland, and Symphony No. 3 by former Juilliard president William Schuman.
• September 20: Juilliard Extension in collaboration with the Jameel Arts & Health Lab, the World Health Organization, and Lincoln Center come together for Creative Aging: From Inspiration to Implementation, a day that explores the transformative role of artistic engagement in promoting health, connection, and wellbeing throughout life. Kicking off the U.N. General Assembly's Healing Arts Week, the day includes a screening of the Oscar-nominated documentary VIVA VERDI!, a panel discussion examining the value and practice of incorporating the arts into daily life, and immersive activations across the Lincoln Center campus.
• September 22: The New Series | Steve Reich @ 90 celebrates composer and Juilliard alum Steve Reich ('61, composition) on his 90th birthday.
• September 22–24: Juilliard Station launches its academic year programming with free rush-hour performances.
• September 23–24: Two showcases make their home in Juilliard's Paul Hall: Juilliard Drama Presents Scenes by Recent Playwriting Alums and students from Juilliard's Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts present An Evening of Opera, Song, and Musical Theater.
• September 24: Closing Night With Juilliard Music, Dance, and Drama directed by Arnhold Creative Associate Caili Quan embodies the curiosity, collaboration, and excellence that animates life at Juilliard through performances that cross disciplines and artistic traditions.

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