There's much ado about the American musical phenomenon, the theater sensation of the decade for the ages—Hamilton. Rarely has a musical transformed theater the way this show has since its debut on Broadway in 2015. Reportedly, Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway dynamo, broke new ground, scoring 16 Tony nominations, the most in Broadway history. It also made Miranda one of the few musical theater writers to be honored with a MacArthur Foundation Award, and his music director and orchestrator, Alex Lacamoire, the recipient of a Tony and a Grammy award, respectively.
To talk about this feat, and to tell us all about the creator's experimental style of hip-hop musical, which ignored the traditions of the musical-theater form, is Alex Lacamoire, bringing his masterclass to Frost next Friday, November 11, at the Maurice Gusman Concert Hall. As the music director of the much-buzzed Hamilton, In the Heights, and Tick, Tick . . . Boom! Lacamoire is here to sound off about what music directors do, their inspirations, and how they do it.
In his masterclass, Lacamoire also talks about his passion for music and the gig that changed his life forever. Always in the pit orchestra, with his eyes on the action all around and above him, helping actors to sing material a certain way, this music director and orchestrator likes to play an integral part in the show you see and hear. And, for the past decade, he has had a vantage point of the stage—his favorite place.
Lacamoire is the man behind the music for some of the most talked about musical theater productions: In the Heights, Bring It On: The Musical, Wicked, Annie, Dear Evan Hansen, and music director of Carmen Jones, a Cuban adaptation of the opera Carmen. For this Cuban American, this score runs deep. Music that's "in my blood," he said.
Since he landed in the New York scene as a substitute keyboardist in the pit of The Lion King, he has embarked on a love affair with musical theater. He loves how all the departments work in sync—spreading their magic with the music, lights, stage sets, and choreography—creating spectacular stories audiences will love, too.
In his masterclass, he teaches about the lessons he's learned from seeing the power of story and song. Musical theater often considered lightweight entertainment, can open minds through storytelling. Some of the most revealing talks explore how Lacamoire's working relationship with Miranda has taught him valuable lessons too, mainly how shows like Hamilton, In the Heights, and Tick, Tick . . . Boom! have changed the course of Broadway's future. Something students should take notes on.
You started playing piano at the age of four, which makes me think of a young Mozart. How was that experience for you?
Alex Lacamoire: Well, Mozart is way too kind of a comparison. [Smiles] But, thank you. I can say that we both played instruments at a young age, but I was not composing symphonies at age four. I want to think that I was precocious and enjoyed music, particularly the piano, and probably had a predilection for it. I picked up on it quickly.
What type of music were you interested in growing up?
Alex Lacamoire: Both pop music and classical music. I was interested in performing in a classical medium and on stage. Whether it was playing a pop song on stage or accompanying actors on stage, there was a definite performing aspect that I enjoyed. So, along the way, together with my curiosity about instrumentations like how an electric guitar, bass guitar, or drums function in a group, I was very aware of those sounds coming together. When I played The Beatles, for example, I found myself listening to one of their pop songs and tuning in to a French horn or a trumpet trio in the song.
So, is that what started your career path?
Alex Lacamoire: Yes, that stuff made me aware of how pop music can be orchestral. I didn't know it then, but I was training for my career path throughout my life simply by the things I was interested in. That, along with my ability to catch on quickly and build knowledge as the years went on.
Were you always passionate about your art?
Alex Lacamoire: If you are an artist by nature and are passionate about your art, then all you care about is your art. I took English, mathematics, and science classes in school because I had to. But I really cared about when I could get to the piano again. When can I listen to that song again? When can I perform again? That's what mattered to me. Going to an arts junior high school, an arts high school where the arts and the pursuit of knowledge were valued, is where I prepared and what I wanted to be doing. You've heard the saying, If you do what you love for a living, you'll never work a day in your life. That felt true to me. Those magnet schools prepared me not only to give me that structure but also to be surrounded by other like-minded artists.
Why is it so important to be in a collective of artists while in school?
Alex Lacamoire: Well, let me put it this way. I got to go to classes with my best friend in the world, Martin Bejerano, who works at the University of Miami. He was my bud. So, we would sit together and play jazz and rock duets. We went to concerts together and talked about girls . . . We just had a like-minded thing. We hung around with other singers and musicians—singers, clarinetists, pianists . . . We all got together and influenced each other in a way that wouldn't be the same if you weren't in this collective of artists doing life together. So that was very key to my life.
Do you come from an artistic family?
Alex Lacamoire: Not on a professional level. My uncle plays the guitar and my grandfather plays the harmonica, but my family had no professional musicians before me. I have two cousins interested in music: one who's going to Berklee College of Music and another who went to the University of Miami and is now an actor. As a Cuban American with a rich culture and deep roots in the arts, music is in my blood.
Well, you certainly have an impressive artistic portfolio. You have won two Tony and Grammy awards for your work on Hamilton and In The Heights. For Hamilton, you were also nominated for a Drama Desk Award. Some of your other credits include Tick, Tick . . . Boom!, Bring It On, Wicked, 9 to 5, Bat Boy, High Fidelity, Annie, Fly, Working, The Wiz, Legally Blonde, Dear Evan Hansen. You are an Emmy-nominated composer for your work on Sesame Street. And one of my favorites, Carmen La Cubana, based on Carmencita Jones, which you adapted from the opera Carmen. So, when you look at all that, what's the biggest highlight of your career?
Alex Lacamoire: Oh, my gosh. I've been involved with a lot of very important things. The one that feels the most singular is Hamilton for many reasons. It's very rare for a Broadway show to be the phenomenon it is and what it is for some people. And the hype around it and the attention around it, that's very uncommon. So, to know that I had a part of that is really special. That's also something that I did on my own. Most of my other shows I orchestrated with someone else. Hamilton was my first Broadway credit as a sole orchestrator. And that meant a lot to me to know that I made every [musical direction] decision—every choice and how I thought that through.
Is there anything or anyone in particular that can be attributed to the show's success?
Alex Lacamoire: Oh, yeah, that's easy. Lin-Manuel Miranda. It was the work, the piece itself. It was the writing, the idea, the creation—the brains behind it. Hamilton would not exist were it not for a crazy idea that he had. So, we're lucky that he invited us along. But the level of writing, musicianship, and craftsmanship involved in that piece . . . the words and ideas that came out of Lin's brain, and the dexterity with which he does it is singular.
Will there be a book written about your masterminds someday?
Alex Lacamoire: [laughs] I don't know about mine, but I think they will write books about Lin. He's got that kind of impact. And it's very special to be mixed with that.
Tell me about Carmen La Cubana, which you orchestrated and reframed the narrative of Bizet's opera Carmen. Bizet and Hammerstein surely got a Cuban makeover, played with charm and flair.
Alex Lacamoire: Thank you for those words! That experience was amazing. I got to go to Cuba and work with amazing Cuban musicians. I loved that we could take this classic operatic score and make a cool Cuban version of it.
I got to dream up a good song and cool sound to fit the story. And in that process, we found that we were able to do a little bit of everything—mambo, salsa . . . By the time we were done, we were like, "Oh, my God, look at all these different styles that we were able to do! We paid tribute to Cuban music while playing this fantastic score. It was a really cool experience.
And being that you're Cuban, how did the music move you?
Alex Lacamoire: Working with experts in the field because I'm not an expert in Cuban music, and being surrounded by Cuban people from the island, is what moved me. It's an amazing experience and a life lesson I will have forever.
And now, you are sharing all of that with our Frost students. What do you hope they gain from the lessons you'velearned?
Alex Lacamoire: Well, what I love about this masterclass is that it is a Q&A type of forum, so I hope to answer whatever questions they may have. But my hope is that . . . listen, the fact that they're studying music, [I studied music], they're living in Miami [I lived in Miami], and the fact that I was able to create a career in this field, hopefully, they'll find inspiration in that. And yeah, I'll talk to them about the discipline it takes to have a career in this field, about the passion and tenacity one needs to have. For me, it's all about that kind of dedication. It's about storytelling. It's about how you treat people. All those things affect what kind of career one has and what type of outlook one has, and it all goes together.
And if there's just one thing, a takeaway from the talk, what would it be?
Alex Lacamoire: Do what you love and love what you do. Make sure that you give your passion to what it is that you're doing. Music is a beautiful field. But you really need to love it to do it.
