NYC Gazette

NEW YORK, June 3, 2024 –– Juilliard has named Jonah Nigh as vice president and chief advancement officer. Nigh joins Juilliard to design and lead the school’s fundraising strategies in partnership with the president, trustees, and staff to meet Juilliard’s current and future resource needs as well as its aspirations.

“We are excited to welcome Jonah Nigh to our senior team at this exciting time in the school’s history,” says Juilliard President Damian Woetzel. “With his opera background and wealth of experience in both arts and higher education fundraising, Jonah will play a key leadership role in realizing our ambitious goals for becoming an ever more affordable institution. I greatly look forward to working with him beginning this summer.”

Nigh says, “The performing arts have always been at the center of my life—as a former musician, an arts fundraiser with nearly 20 years of experience, and a voracious audience member of all art forms. I could not be prouder to join the Juilliard community and to advance President Woetzel’s vision of greater accessibility for the world's most promising students. Juilliard’s development team has a track record of great success and collegiality, and I look forward to working with them soon.”

Nigh comes to Juilliard from The New School, where he was senior vice president of development and alumni engagement and led strategic fundraising, institutional advancement, alumni engagement, corporate, and foundation relations. Previously, Nigh served at the Jewish Museum where he held several roles before being promoted to chief development officer. Other roles have included positions at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Columbia University, Opera America, and Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts. Nigh earned his undergraduate degree in vocal performance at Lawrence University and a Master of Music from the New England Conservatory. A five-time marathoner and a Boston-qualifier, Nigh is running or baking when he’s not fundraising.

Nigh will join Juilliard in early August. He succeeds Alexandra Wheeler as vice president and chief advancement officer. Wheeler is stepping back this summer to pursue personal priorities and spend more time with family.

About The Juilliard School

Founded in 1905, The Juilliard School is a world leader in performing arts education. The school’s mission is to provide the highest caliber of artistic education for gifted musicians, dancers, actors, composers, choreographers, and playwrights from around the world so that they may achieve their fullest potential as artists, leaders, and global citizens. Led by Damian Woetzel since 2018 as its seventh president who has prioritized affordability while championing excellence.

Located at Lincoln Center in New York City offering degrees in dance drama (acting/playwriting), music (classical/jazz/historical/vocal). Over 800 artists from diverse regions appear annually across various prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall; additionally enrolling nearly 400 preparatory students underrepresented often within classical music fields via MAP & Pre-College programs alongside continuing education offerings globally inclusive Tianjin campus.

CONTACT:

Allegra Thoresen

[email protected]

Photo by: David Suh