Sound Mixer Steve Morrow On Soaring Cathedral Concerts and Lavish New York City Parties for ‘Maestro’

The sound of Maestro transports us to a new realm of musicality. Leonard Bernstein was a singular talent, and Bradley Cooper’s film is drenched in music–we can almost see the notes swirling around Bernstein’s baton as he enthusiastically waves it around. In order for us to become completely immersed in this world, sound mixer Steve Morrow had to capture the sound live, so we can truly believe what we are hearing. The sound of Maestro truly supports Berstein’s greatness.

Morrow, a three-time Oscar nominee, is no stranger to incorporating music into film. With films like La La Land, The Prom and this year’s The Color Purple he knows how to mix music and sound to create a landscape of aural balance and beauty. He has also worked on films like Cooper’s A Star Is Born and Fame where we are seeing music performed by musicians and actors on a stage. While they may seem similar, Morrow explains how one is immersing us in a musical world while Maestro brings a live component through the screen. You feel like you are there whenever you see Bernstein conducting in a cavernous cathedral or the educational space of a rehearsal hall.

Morrow’s work does not stay behind the conductor’s podium as it also extends to the numerous party scenes throughout Cooper’s film. Depending on who is hosting the party or what building we are visiting, Morrow had to mix dialogue to show the vastness of this sophisticated, New York City party world. Don’t you just want to beg for an invite or just…crash it? Bernstein’s charisma bleeds into the dark corners of these parties, and the sound is so important to establish intimacy.

Maestro does not just paint the portrait of a revered artist, but it humanizes his darkest, most tragic moments. Morrow succeeds in mixing a full symphony of sound so our ears are as full as our hearts.

Maestro is in theaters now. It debuts on Netflix on December 20.