Students at the Frost School of Music don’t just get a superb musical education. They also connect with an extensive network of successful alumni and well-connected faculty who can bring opportunities to work on major pop music acts.
Recently, singer Nicole Acosta, a junior in the Modern Artist Development and Entrepreneurship (M.A.D.E.) program, joined a recording session for a new song by movie star Will Smith, produced by triple Frost School alumnus Carlos “Carlitos” Lopez.
And on Valentine’s Day, Frost School graduate students and violinists Marki Lukyniuk and Michael Ziyuan Wu played with international Latin star Jay Wheeler on Despierta America, Univision’s popular morning show, as Wheeler premiered his new song “Una Como Tú.”
Acosta got a taste of working in the entertainment industry as a contestant on Fox’s reality show “I Can See Your Voice” last summer. When Lopez, who recently met Acosta on a Frost School project, contacted her to sing on a gospel vocal segment for a new Will Smith song, she leaped at the chance to work with a star whose films she’d watched since childhood. “My mom and I always quote his “Miami” song,” Acosta said. “Getting to work with such an icon is a big honor.”
The recording took place at Art House, a Miami studio owned by Frost School alumnus and multi-GRAMMY-winning producer Julio Reyes Copello. Acosta was the youngest person and only student in a group of experienced professionals, but quickly got over her initial nerves. “We’re all singers, we’re all here for this job and know what we have to do,” she said.
Smith’s down-to-earth demeanor helped. The star walked in, greeted everyone with a casual “Hey guys,” explained the idea behind his new song, and demonstrated the melody and sounds he wanted. Lopez conducted and set the harmonies and tempo, with Smith occasionally weighing in. They sang everything by ear. “It was all very calm, very chill,” Acosta said. “At the same time, it was surreal – I couldn’t believe Will Smith was right there in front of me.”
Acosta credits the M.A.D.E. program with preparing her to deliver without rehearsal or printed scores. “A lot of times in our classes they throw performances or projects at us last minute because they’re preparing us for the real world,” she said. “No matter who you work with, Will Smith or a TV show, things will be last minute. That’s the industry. So it’s helped me to think on my feet.”
A Frost School staffer put Wu and Lukyniuk, a first-year master’s student at the Henry Mancini Institute, in touch with Wheeler, whose blend of romantic pop and reggaeton has earned him more than 25 million followers across social media. The Puerto Rican star was new to the classically trained violinists, who learned their part from an audio track shortly before the Univision taping and chatted backstage with the singer, who launched his highly successful career after going viral during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lukyniuk said he was thrilled to connect with Wheeler, who shared appreciation for those with formal musical training. He plans to start studying piano soon and continue helping the next generation of musicians, and even brought in an ensemble of young classical musicians for his big concert at the island's iconic Coliseo de Puerto Rico on Valentine's Day last year.
“It is always inspiring to connect with another artist who is so passionate about his craft,” said Lukyniuk, who’s played with several European pop acts and has appeared on live television in Ukraine and Tennessee. “These collaborations can show us, classical musicians, how to break free from a strict classical approach to music and become more appealing to wider audiences.”
Acosta said the Will Smith gig was another example of how invaluable the Frost School network can be for students. Last year superstar Bad Bunny tapped Lopez to put together and lead an orchestra for his “Most Wanted” tour, and nearly half the musicians were Frost School students or alumni. Acosta got to participate in a masterclasswith Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth after vocal professor Frank Ragsdale's connections with the singer led to her teaching at the Frost School.
“The professors, the alums, the students are one of the most important parts of being at Frost,” Acosta said. “You never know when one of these people will call you and say ‘Hey, I have this project,’ and that could change your life.”
