Instagram story viewer> @nic.music> Posts

Nicole Lam

@nic.music

2K

followers

1

following

Conductor | Musical Director | Pianist | Vocalist
📍NYC
🗓️next: Ballad of Mulan, 🌂@papermillplayhouse
⏪ recently: @lancastersymphony, math/cs @yale

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

A year ago today, we opened this recital with this overture.

A year later, we’re in three countries, eight states, four industries leading completely different lives; yet, it’s strange how little that seems to matter to the memory of something. Time passes, geography shifts, but the people just hold. And how fortunate I am to have that.

Thinking of you all.
@erin.emi.nishi, @tylertann_, @nate.stroth18, Lila, @tobylliu, @jaeyeejung, @ajyorb, @justinejxu, @mattthatmusician, @joewang8585, @jiaxdunsby, @kiraewang, @thomaspwalter, @gabby.berger, @eleanorohm, @oknadira, @maddyshpark, @liz_seward, @___giselach, @wangdr3w, @aj.mags, @sophie.richards0n, @_anniefran_, @jairusrhoades, @two_calcs, @nmathew12
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#seniorrecital
#gypsyoverture
#orchestra
#musicaltheater
#conductor by @nic.music

188

17

6 months ago

A sneak peek behind the curtain with a conductor POV of “Hello, Dolly” @ogunquitplayhouse with the force that is @bethleavel and an incomparable ensemble who can make any room come alive.

Last week, I had the utter privilege of conducting previews through opening weekend of this powerhouse production.

I want to take a moment to acknowledge the remarkable musicians on this team. First, our fearless music director / orchestrator extraordinaire @mattydeitch for his trust and for making this process nothing short of an incredibly joyous and magical experience thus far. Our orchestra: @jpjohnsontrumpet, @juliezmusic, @katyfaracy, @lp.musiq, @michael_uselmann, and @jamespmack for absolutely smashing it, performance after performance. And of course, @haleybmusic for bringing us all together.

And the best part? We’re just getting started. Four more weeks in Maine — come say hello!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#pianoconducting #ogunquitmaine #summertheater #musicaltheater #hellodolly by @nic.music

1k

55

4 months ago

very normal piano part, thank you igor (and @bmcnaboe) 🪆

#generationallockin by @nic.music

2k

35

8 days ago

Sometimes life takes you on silly adventures and sometimes those adventures include making your professional symphony debut playing Stravinsky’s “Petrushka” with @lancastersymphony.

Four concerts this weekend!

#orchestralpiano #freelancemusician #normaljob #stravinsky #sendprayers by @nic.music

236

9

12 days ago

(8/24/2026 - 09/08/2026) Public Record at the Delacorte Theater

Musicians are all too familiar with the irreplaceable joy that is listening to a piece of music for the first time. Then, you meet a group of jaw-dropping musicians where every moment feels like that.

That pretty much sums up this fire crew here at public record: thank you to the band @stevejacksonjr @jacquelene.acevedo @william.barnes.984 for absolutely hotdog-worthy vibes brought together by incomparable raincoat gnome @davidwlai, music team extraordinaires @sasha_bartol and @patrickthepianist, guest artists @reallouiscato @pianitis @arunnj25 who have and will continue to fundamentally change what it means to unabashedly share music with the world, and of course our fearless (grown) man @michaelthurber whom I will hear play the bass (or listen to his talkback) any day.

Until next time. Thank you all for reminding me that New York City is now home. taken in Delacorte Theater, Central Park by @nic.music

77

13

a month ago

So, without an orchestra, how does a conductor actually practice?

One approach to score study is a technique called score reduction: taking all of the individual parts of a full orchestral score and reducing them into something that can be played by one person at the piano.

You might wonder: there are so many instruments in an orchestra, and I only have two hands! And you’d be correct: there’s no possible way to play every note on the page. So I’m constantly forced to make decisions: What’s important? What can I leave out?

I like to think of it like a painting. There’s a foreground, middle ground, and background. Dozens of colors, textures, and details happening simultaneously, but not everything has the same weight.

Trying to reduce all of that onto the piano forces me to see and hear the different lines, understand how they fit together, and decide what belongs in each layer. It also helps me develop my own interpretation: how do I actually want each line to sound and how do the voices relate to one another?

The goal isn’t to create a perfect piano reduction. It’s to understand what’s happening on the page and eventually, what I want to listen for when all of those individual lines become an orchestra.

Here’s a little bit of what “score study” can actually look (and sound!) like, courtesy of the timeless Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2. by @nic.music

2k

13

2 months ago

Name the musical AND the classical work!
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#musicaltheater #classicalmusic #piano #practice #crossgenres by @nic.music

128

5

2 months ago

Poppins poppin’
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#musicaltheater #marypoppins #piano #whyaretheresomanynotes #openingnumber by @nic.music

219

7

2 months ago

(2/2) Goodbye, Dolly! I could not have asked for a better five weeks indulging in this utterly thrilling Jerry Herman score alongside the best of people. To our entire rehearsal team, cast, band, and of course this gem of a crew, thank you — I am leaving Maine returning to New York with my heart very full.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#summerinmaine #musicaltheater #musicdirector #hellodolly by @nic.music

1k

31

3 months ago

(1/2) Goodbye, Dolly! I could not have asked for a better five weeks indulging in this utterly thrilling Jerry Herman score alongside the best of people. To our entire rehearsal team, cast, band, and of course this gem of a crew, thank you — I am leaving Maine returning to New York with my heart very full.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#summerinmaine #musicaltheater #musicdirector #hellodolly taken in Ogunquit Playhouse by @nic.music

212

20

3 months ago

T-4 more shows here in Ogunquit, Maine! A little behind the scenes snippet @ogunquitplayhouse with a Keys 1 AND Keys 2 POV for @bethleavel’s “Before the Parade Passes By!”
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#musicaltheater #pianoconductor #musicdirector #beforetheparadepassesby #hellodolly by @nic.music

1k

15

3 months ago

Sunday Clothes, two ways. 10 days left in Maine!! by @nic.music

343

18

3 months ago