Juilliard speaker inspires grads to pursue passion

Conductor James Conlon urged graduating seniors of his alma mater, Juilliard, to pursue their passion by maintaining creativity, courage and persistence.

"Listen to your inner courage, not your fears," he said. "Be an ambassador for the arts. Remember we live in a country where still, only a fraction of our population loves and enjoys the classical arts as we do. Show by your performance and your passion that these arts are not just for the happy few, but for everyone."

The 54-year-old Conlon, who graduated from New York City's Juilliard School in 1972, was among six distinguished artists and educators who received honorary doctoral degrees Friday. The others were pianist and Juilliard faculty member Joseph Bloch, actress Judi Dench, choreographer William Forsythe, saxophonist Illinois Jacquet and composer John Williams.