
Ten years of Hamilton: the mastermind behind the music
As a child Alex Lacamoire was diagnosed with a hearing impairment, but he went on to become the musical mastermind behind the hit show Hamilton, which premiered 10 years ago.
Alex Lacamoire is the award-winning orchestrator, arranger and conductor for the hit musical Hamilton, which premiered 10 years ago off-Broadway. This hip-hop homage to the revolutionary US statesman Alexander Hamilton - which was created by Lin-Manuel Miranda - has become one of the most successful musicals of all time. The original cast reunited this month for a special performance at the Tony Awards.
Alex is now one of the world's most celebrated composers, but as a child he was diagnosed with a hearing impairment. It was even suggested he go to a school for deaf children. But his mother was determined he would stay in mainstream school and despite his hearing challenges, his passion and talent for music grew. Alex first encountered Lin-Manuel Miranda back when Lin was a lyricist and rapper trying to create his first professional show. They joined forces. Lin would dream up the songs, and Alex would work out how the music would sound. The chemistry between them would form part of the magic behind the development of Hamilton. (A version of this interview was first broadcast in June 2020)
Presenter: Emily Webb
Producer: Maryam Maruf
Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707
(Photo: Alex Lacamoire rehearsing for Hamilton with Ren茅e Elise Goldsberry [L]; Alex Lacamoire playing keyboard for the Broadway production of The Lion King in the late 1990s [R]. Credit: Joan Marcus [L]; Alex Lacamoire [R])
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