Composing a Career:

Steven Jamail ’02 on Music, Mentorship and Rice

When Steven Jamail ’02 sits at the piano, whether in a Broadway theater, a rehearsal room with young artists or at Carnegie Hall alongside Lea Michele, one thing is always with him: his Rice University class ring. “It’s a reminder of the work ethic I developed there,” he said. “Anything that’s really good doesn’t come easy. I walked into Rice feeling out of my league, but I figured it out, and I felt really good about what I had accomplished there when I left.”

Steven grew up in Galveston, Texas, and arrived at Rice as a composition and theory major. The transition was bracing — challenging yet invigorating. “I went from being a strong musician in my high school to being the least talented person in the room,” he said. “And I loved that. It forced me to level up and develop a work ethic I didn’t have before.”

Steven recalled struggling through early-morning ear training with classmates who seemed to have perfect pitch, but the rigor shaped him. “It was very intense, but I loved every minute of it,” he said. “I’m always grateful I had an education that just kicked my butt constantly.”

Required to sing in the Rice Chorale, Steven was terrified at first. “I had never sung publicly before, and suddenly I was sitting next to future opera stars. But watching Tom Jaber work with singers taught me so much about artistry and collaboration. I still try to channel his power anytime I’m behind the keys.” Faculty mentors including Pierre Jalbert and Karim Al-Zand pushed him to sharpen his craft and encouraged him to find his own voice, even when his interests leaned toward commercial and theatrical composition.

After graduation, Steven remained in Houston to focus on piano, a skill he knew would be essential if he wanted to build a career in theater. “I knew that if I wanted to be a music director and make a living in New York, I had to do it from the piano, so I worked really hard studying,” he said. He did post-baccalaureate work at the University of Houston, where he was mentored by theater professor and Broadway producer Stuart Ostrow, who gave him insight into both the artistic and business sides of theater.

His extra chapter in Houston turned into a pivotal period of growth. “I was not initially happy about staying in Houston after having grown up in the area, but it ended up being a wonderful chapter,” he said. “I also just fell in love with the Houston arts scene during that time. It ended up being really great.”

In 2006, he moved to New York and quickly found himself in his dream role: music director for Rosie O’Donnell’s arts education nonprofit Rosie’s Theater Kids, which brings theater to children across the city who might otherwise never experience it. “Rosie said it’s like growing up in Hawaii and never seeing the beach,” Steven said.

Now serving as associate artistic director, he explains that the program uses theater as a spark to enrich kids’ whole lives. “It’s really about helping them get into good schools, pay for college and build confidence.” For Steven, seeing students he taught as teenagers now thriving in their 30s remains one of the most rewarding parts of his career.

While working at Rosie’s Theater Kids, Steven also steadily built his professional résumé. His original music, arrangements and orchestrations have been heard at Lincoln Center, the Public Theater, the Alliance Theater and Theater Under the Stars. He has written and arranged for television programs including “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “The Martha Stewart Show,” “The Rosie Show” and NBC’s tree-lighting at Rockefeller Center. He has conducted Broadway tributes for Chita Rivera, Cyndi Lauper, Queen Latifah and others. He even wrote the opening music for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum benefit at the request of then–Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Steven says the support of Rosie O’Donnell and Lori Klinger, the co-founder of Rosie’s Theater Kids, was crucial. “They believed I could be a great educator and still have a parallel professional career,” he said. “They were very supportive of that early on in my journey in New York. I was fortunate. I had a ‘yes and’ kind of attitude, and I had really good people encouraging me to try.”

One of his most memorable experiences came when he and students from Rosie’s Theater Kids were invited to perform at President Obama’s final state dinner. “We performed before Gwen Stefani went on, and it was one of those magical nights where everything felt special,” Steven recalled. “Every single person there, from the staff to the celebrities, was so kind to our kids. It was a really joyful experience to watch our kids shine in that room. I will take that with me forever.”

Another career highlight has been his recent collaboration with actress and singer Lea Michele. What began as an intimate tour with just Steven at the piano grew into a sold-out Carnegie Hall debut that he orchestrated and conducted. “I never thought playing piano at Carnegie Hall was in the cards for me, considering how late I started,” he said. “I was just pinching myself the whole time because it seemed crazy. Getting to put together all the music for that concert was definitely a career highlight.”

Through it all, Steven has drawn on the lessons learned at Rice. He credits the Shepherd School’s rigor and collaborative spirit with preparing him for a career that requires both artistic excellence and flexibility. He recalls with fondness the residential college musicals, where students from all disciplines came together to stage productions in dining halls and common spaces.

“It was beautiful — so many different, incredible, smart people working in a way they don't always work,” he said. “Rice taught me to blend genres and not be afraid of crossover work. That’s something I apply every day.”

Steven is now giving back to the university, serving on the Association of Rice Alumni Board and working to reconnect Shepherd School graduates with the university. “Rice was the perfect place for me — it was nurturing, but it never let me off the hook,” he said. “I don’t think I would have a career without my time at Rice. Everything good I’ve done started there.”

For Steven, each performance, whether in a Broadway theater, a rehearsal room or on one of the world’s great stages, carries that legacy forward. “When you feel out of your league, you can still rise to the occasion,” he said. “That’s what Rice taught me, and that’s what I carry with me every time I sit down at the piano.”