TIANJIN, CHINA — Tianjin Juilliard will hold its fifth commencement ceremony for the class of 2026 on Saturday, May 23 at 10am (China Standard Time) at the Tianjin Juilliard Concert Hall. 43 graduate students from 14 countries and regions will receive their Juilliard degree from the first joint-venture performing arts institution in China to confer a US-accredited music degree.
The commencement address will be given by Long Yu, renowned conductor and chair of The Tianjin Juilliard School Council. Juilliard leadership from the New York campus will join the commencement online. Juilliard’s president emeritus and chief China officer Joseph W. Polisi, President Damian Woetzel and Provost Adam Meyer, Tianjin Juilliard Chancellor Changjun Xu, CEO and Artistic Director Wei He, Dean Katherine Chu, and the leadership of Tianjin Conservatory of Music will join the commencement online or on campus.
When I think of the Class of 2026, these words come to mind: creativity, imagination, diversity and courage. As a class, you have coalesced into a beautiful unity that celebrates belonging and diversity. I have seen ample evidence of that in your performances, your classes and community gatherings. You have brought a ‘joie de vivre’ to our school and remind me each day, WHY I love my job. I want you to do what you love, and love what you do. I urge you to cherish that sentiment and bring it along on your onward journey of becoming storytellers and change-makers in whatever context you find yourselves in.
Katherine Chu
Lyra Zihua Liu (MM ’26, Collaborative piano) will speak on behalf of the graduating class. The commencement ceremony will also feature performances by Tianjin Juilliard graduates including Sebastian Quesada's Symbiosis for Piano, Trombone and Percussion; David Popper's Polonaise de Concert, Op. 14; and the first movement of Paul Schoenfield's Café Music.
Tianjin Juilliard will also present the following prizes to graduate students: The Tianjin Juilliard School Prize for artistic achievement and academic excellence in all areas of endeavor, the Joseph W. Polisi Prize for exemplifying Tianjin Juilliard’s “artist as citizen” values and demonstrating outstanding artistry and leadership in community engagement, and The Dean’s List for students achieving the highest grade point average.
Tianjin Juilliard Pre-College will hold its commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 17, at 9am (China Standard Time) in the Tianjin Juilliard Recital Hall. Chief program officer Robert Ross, and assistant dean of Pre-College, Sophie X. Zhang, will present certificates of graduation to 27 Pre-College students from 11 provinces and municipalities in China. Leyu Xu (Pre-College ’26, piano) will deliver a speech on behalf of the Pre-College graduates.
The Juilliard School in New York will hold its 121st commencement ceremony and conferral of honorary doctorate degrees on Friday, May 22, 11:30 am (Eastern Time), and the New York Preparatory Division Ceremony on Saturday, May 23, at 6pm (Eastern Time). Both Juilliard campuses in New York and Tianjin will celebrate the classes of 2026 with commencement ceremonies this May as one school with two campuses.