Juilliard School has terminated the employment of Robert Beaser, a composition professor who was found to have engaged in inappropriate conduct with students. Beaser, who chaired the composition department from 1994 to 2018, was fired following an independent investigation that found evidence of misconduct, including a previously unreported relationship. Juilliard’s inquiry was sparked by an investigation by VAN, a classical music magazine, that detailed allegations against Beaser and other composition teachers. The school also investigated accusations against Christopher Rouse, another professor mentioned in the VAN investigation, but could not fully investigate these claims because Rouse died in 2019.
Juilliard acknowledged that it had previously investigated some of the allegations of sexual misconduct in 1990s and 2000s, and again in 2017-2018. However, they launched the most recent investigation, due to new information in news reports. In the letter to students and faculty, Juilliard leaders expressed disappointment at the negative impact this had on students and vowed to tighten their oversight measures. The school will ban all sexual relationships between students and professors starting this fall and will improve mechanisms to report harassment and biases. Juilliard stated that it is committed to creating a safe and supportive environment for all members of the school community, where discrimination or harassment will not be tolerated.
