Making Music: The Young Virtuosos of the Juilliard School and the New York Philharmonic Score a Fashion Rhapsody

ALL IN THIS TOGETHER

“Juilliard is a mix of music, dance, and drama, and the students experience that from their first moments on campus,” says Juilliard president Damian Woetzel. “They are surrounded by kids from all around the world who have converged in this one beautiful space with dreams of how they will go forward as artists.” Here, Ari Peraza-Webb (in a Sacai jacket and Lemaire turtleneck) is flanked by his classmates. Jazz vocalist Ava Preston (far right) wears an Erdem dress. Sophie Buhai earrings.

PITCH HITTERS

Dance major Arayah Lyte lounges in an Alaïa dress; maison-alaia​.com. Prounis earrings

Giddens wears Burc Akyol; burcakyol​.com.

Harpist Alisa Sadikova in a Khaite dress and Phoebe Philo earring. Mosquito hair pin.

STRING THEORY

Mogle tunes up in a Loro Piana top (loropiana​.com) and Alaïa skirt (maison-alaia​.com). Tiffany & Co. bracelet.

SYMPHONY SPACE

“When you have music, dance, and drama all working side by side, the experience is multidimensional,” says Woetzel. “It’s a relationship of curiosity and opportunity.”

PUTTING ON AIR

“As the world becomes more modern, the deep human emotions that are the frameworks of classical music stay the same,” says Wojcik, a senior at Juilliard. “I love putting on Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 and just letting myself feel everything.” Wojcik in The Row; therow​.com. Tiffany & Co. necklace. Right: Dance student Holden Kunowski in a Jacquemus suit; jacquemus​.com.

MAKING OVERTURES

Peraza-Webb wears a Sacai jacket; sacai.​jp for similar styles. Lié Studio earrings.

LIVE TAKE

Preston hits the high notes in a pink lace Erdem confection; erdem​.com. Sophie Buhai earrings.

PUT A BOW ON IT

“Pieces of art created centuries ago communicate something that, somehow, people in 2026 can still relate to,” Kilburn, a recent Juilliard grad, says. Fendi dress. Tiffany & Co. necklace and ring. Rawn in Celine. Bvlgari watch. Right: Dancer Haley Beck—​in a Colleen Allen top (colleenallen.com), Max Mara skirt (maxmara​.com), and Cartier watch—feels the music.

REST STOP

Wojcik—flanked by composition student Vincent Zhang and tuba player Lau Yeung Wong—​wears a Maison Margiela dress; maisonmargiela​.com.

PRETTY SUITE

Beck wears a Khaite dress; khaite​.com. Lié Studio earrings.

GO LIKE THE WIND

Rawn’s loose Celine dress and flowing golden waves offer a touch of nonchalance. Lara Sonmez ring.

DYNAMIC DUET

Trombonist Kimberly Nelson in a Jil Sander top. Jasmin Sparrow earring.

CODA

New York Philharmonic violist Leah Ferguson sticks out in a rich velvet Fforme dress; fforme.com. Right: New York Philharmonic cellist Claire Deokyong Kim wields her instrument in Chanel; select Chanel boutiques.

IN GOOD COMPANY

Perhaps one day some of the Juilliard students will call the New York Philharmonic home, as (from left) principal bass player Timothy Cobb (in Ralph Lauren Purple Label), Ferguson (in Fforme dress and Prounis earrings), principal clarinetist Anthony McGill (in Ralph Lauren Purple Label), violist Tabitha Rhee (in Ralph Lauren Collection dress and Bvlgari jewelry), and Kim (in Chanel) do now.

ALL ABOUT THAT BASS

Cobb, in Ralph Lauren Purple Label, also serves as chair of Juilliard’s bass department.

ET VIOLÀ

Ferguson, who joined the New York Philharmonic in 2018, is an exemplary alumna: she earned her graduate degree from Juilliard. Fforme dress. Prounis earrings.

ANY WAY THE WOODWIND BLOWS

McGill, wearing Ralph Lauren Purple Label, also serves as the artistic director of Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program, which aims to support young musicians from underrepresented communities in classical music.

IN CONCERT

Everybody join in! The woodwinds, brass, and strings are all hard at work during Gustavo Dudamel’s rehearsal.

KEEPING COMPOSED

Dudamel isn’t just marking his first performance at the New York Philharmonic this September—he is also premiering work from Zosha Di Castri and performing John Adams’s On the Transmigration of Souls, commissioned by the New York Phil for the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

ENSEMBLE CAST

In the future, Juilliard is hoping to move to a tuition-free model. “We need people who can step up and think outside of the box,” Kilburn says. “Taking that financial stress off of the future generation is going to allow those people to do that.” Rawn wears a Lemaire jacket. Tory Burch top and skirt. Le Monde Béryl shoes. Kilburn wears a Chanel top, skirt, and Chanel Fine Jewelry earrings. Bode shoes. Giddens wears an Auralee suit, knit, and shirt. Lemaire shoes. Peraza-Webb wears a Dries Van Noten shirt. Valentino pants. Wojcik wears a Phoebe Philo jacket, top, and trousers. The Row shoes. Jennifer Behr headband. Bottega Veneta bag.

FIDDLE ABOUT

New York Philharmonic violinist Alina Ming Kobialka plays a sweet melody.

CASE LOAD

Peraza-Webb and Mogle’s favorite accessories? Their cello cases. Peraza-Webb wears a Dries Van Noten shirt. Valentino trousers. Mogle wears a jacket from The Row. Akris top.

CODE OF CONDUCT

“Gustavo is a tremendous force for good, and he is already bringing such beautiful energy to the orchestra and to all of us at Lincoln Center and to the city itself,” Juilliard president Woetzel says. Here, the maestro conducts a rehearsal with the New York Philharmonic ahead of his September 10 debut.

ONCE MORE, WITH FEELING

With Dudamel at the helm, the next generation sees a bright future for classical music. “This is a guy who connects to all of the artists that he works with in a way that seems so genuine and authentic and raw,” Kilburn says.