I had the pleasure of spending most of today with my almost-four-year-old niece. The splendour of her smile cannot be oversold. We sang and laughed and played and coloured, walked in the rain with my wonderful husband and our dogs, baked cookies, tickled the ivories, and of course, watched Frozen. Disney’s epic mega-smash came out before she even turned two, but she knows it better than scores I’ve studied for years. Because that’s how little kid brains work, and that’s awesome. Now, if you haven’t heard any of the music from Frozen, please allow me to visit the rock you’ve been living under when I need a vacation spot. We also listened to a Disney Princesses CD that I love, as it features decades of those classic, beautiful Disney ballads. While it’s true there are other potential conversations here […feminism! independence! self-worth! those Disney Princesses are rife with controversial life choices…], it’s also true they sing some darn gorgeous music. Last week I came across this stunning video by vocal coach Evynne Hollens; it’s her incredible take on the vocal evolution of the Princesses. Over a million people have now seen this video, and this week she posted a follow-up on how she did it. Both are fantastic. Imitation isn’t something I focus on much in my teaching, but maybe if I follow along I can really impress my niece the next time she’s here! With love, light, and song… ~Melissa~
Up first: Evolution of the Disney Princess
This week’s follow-up: How to Belt like a Disney Princess