Tag Archives: Marissa

Arachnophonia: 21st Century Musical Theatre – 50 Songs from Shows since 2000

Posted on by
Reply

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Marissa (class of 2025) and features insert title info here. Thanks, Marissa!

21st Century Musical Theatre: 50 Songs from Shows since 2000

If you’re interested in learning how to sing and play the piano to your favorite musical theatre songs, look no further than Parsons Music Library. Some of the 50 songs from this collection of musical scores that are my personal favorites include “Santa Fe” from Newsies, “Proud of Your Boy” from Aladdin, and “Dancing Through Life” from Wicked. Newsies the Musical debuted in 2011 at the Paper Mill Playhouse, a theater located 20 minutes away from where I grew up. Most recently, the musical version of The Great Gatsby also made its debut at the Paper Mill Playhouse, featuring the powerhouse-voice of Jeremy Jordan (who has also played Jack in Newsies). If you are a male singer who wants to sound like this iconic performer, you should start with watching him belt his heart out to “Santa Fe” (and then learn it yourself with this score!).

In preparation for the Wicked movie coming out in November, learning “Dancing Through Life” and “Wonderful” from the critically acclaimed Broadway musical Wicked will set you up for success in the movie theater. Both of these songs and many more are available in 21st Century Musical Theatre: 50 Songs from Shows since 2000 at the Parsons Music Library.

Parsons Playlists: Seasonal Joy

Posted on by
Reply

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student manager Marissa (class of 2025) which features some recent music for your Fall Break enjoyment!

Seasonal Joy

seasonal joy

Even though the trees are becoming barren and your shorts need to be put away until the spring, this time of year can still be joyous! Here are some of my favorite songs that have recently come out in honor of the temperature drop.

Sabrina Carpenter – “Taste”

Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga – “Die With A Smile”

Dua Lipa – “End of an Era”

Gracie Abrams – “Close to You”

Charli xcx – “Apple”

Ariana Grande – “eternal sunshine”

Ariana Grande – “supernatural”

Sabrina Carpenter – “Juno”

Charli xcx – “365”

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEPpzeK8v3s2C6VCyVpUfkP1jiW6MB3U_&si=F0FNXQrgSuqxHIKw

Arachnophonia: Dear Evan Hansen

Posted on by

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Marissa (class of 2025) and features the vocal selections score for Dear Evan Hansen. Thanks, Marissa!

Dear Evan Hansen

Dear Evan Hansen

Premiering on Broadway in 2016, Dear Evan Hansen is a musical about Evan Hansen, a high school senior in therapy for social anxiety and depression. As an exercise, his therapist tells him to write a letter to himself about his feelings going into the first day of school. The musical also centers around Connor Murphy, another high school senior battling depression. On the first day of senior year, Evan and Connor bump into each other, and Connor ends up taking Evan’s letter. Later that same day, Connor sadly ends his own life, with Evan’s letter still in his pocket. Connor’s family later reads this letter thinking Evan must have been Connor’s best friend, and Evan goes along with it instead of telling the truth. Through classic songs like “Sincerely, Me” and “You Will Be Found“, Dear Evan Hansen tells the story of just how big a single lie can get, while also raising awareness for teen mental health and suicide.

Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Alex Lacamoire are responsible for bringing this world to life through their musical talents. Their music has been heard off and on-Broadway, on tours, and even in a musical movie. If you would like to learn how to sing these coming-of-age pieces through sheet music, you can check this item out now from the Parsons Music Library.

Parsons Playlists: Best of Blaine

Posted on by

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student manager Marissa (class of 2025) featuring songs performed by the character Blaine Anderson (Darren Criss) on the Glee TV series.

Best of Blaine

Blaine Anderson (Darren Criss) - Glee

If you’ve ever seen the hit show Glee, you probably remember an amazing solo or two from one of my favorite characters, Blaine Anderson. This playlist has my favorite Blaine songs from the 6-season show. Enjoy!

Glee Cast – “Somewhere Only We Know”

Glee Cast – “What Kind of Fool”

Glee Cast – “Bills, Bills, Bills”

Glee Cast – “Cough Syrup”

Glee Cast – “Teenage Dream”

Glee Cast – “Beauty School Dropout”

Glee Cast – “Hey, Soul Sister”

Glee Cast – “Hopelessly Devoted To You”

Glee Cast – “Raise Your Glass”

Glee Cast – “I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You”

Glee Cast – “When I Get You Alone”

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEPpzeK8v3s25YnTTxWfcwqkRBea3O09I&si=2dK8rakTS-7h85V3

Arachnophonia: Ariana Grande “Sweetener”

Posted on by

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Marissa (class of 2025) and features Ariana Grande’s 2018 album Sweetener. Thanks, Marissa!

Ariana Grande

Sweetener

Ariana Grande - Sweetener

Ariana Grande‘s fourth studio album Sweetener was released in the summer of 2018. Collaborating with other artists like Pharrell Williams, Nicki Minaj, and Missy Elliott, this album is loved by many different audiences. It won Best Pop Vocal Album of the Year in 2019, giving Grande her first Grammy award.

This pop and R&B styled album includes themes of womanhood, romance, and hope in the face of tragedy and loss. The three singles on the album are “No Tears Left to Cry,” “God Is a Woman,” and “Breathin‘,” each charting on the US Billboard Hot 100.

The last track, “Get Well Soon,” is a tribute to the lives lost at the Manchester Arena bombing during her previous tour. There are 40 seconds of silence at the end of this song to commemorate the 22 victims who passed away, bringing the runtime to 5:22 (the date of the concert).

If you’d like to listen to these songs mentioned and more, you can check this CD out from the Parsons Music Library today. You won’t regret it!

Parsons Playlists: Study Gems

Posted on by

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student manager Marissa (class of 2025) which features some tunes to help you study.

Study Gems

We know everyone listens to music to help them get through a tough assignment or a long study period for a hard exam. But, we also know that some of the music you listen to might be getting old. Here’s a collection of songs I like to study to. Enjoy!

Taylor Swift – “invisible string”

Adam Melchor – “Real Estate”

Wabie – “That’s What Everybody Said”

Wabie – “Love Me Tomorrow”

keshi – “UNDERSTAND”

Ricky Montgomery – “Talk to You” (acoustic)

Glee cast – “What Kind of Fool”

Lennon Stella – “Goodnight”

Mac Ayres – “Easy”

The Walters – “I Love You So” (acoustic)

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEPpzeK8v3s3ZLKjWXdlc2F-wg_xrmVAf&si=4xSQkMDxEaLjYV1x

Parsons Playlists: Road Trip Sing-Alongs

Posted on by

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student manager Marissa (class of 2025) and features some road trip sing-along songs.

Road Trip Sing-Alongs

Road trip

This playlist includes classic songs that everyone knows the words to that’ll keep you energized for a long drive. Enjoy!

Cage the Elephant – “Cigarette Daydreams”

Pitbull ft. Christina Aguilera – “Feel This Moment”

Gym Class Heroes – “Stereo Hearts”

Coldplay – “Viva la Vida”

Maroon 5 – “Misery”

Hoobastank – “The Reason”

Kelly Clarkson – “Since U Been Gone”

Taylor Swift – “Love Story” (Taylor’s Version)

Lady Antebellum – “Need You Now”

Neon Trees – “Everybody Talks”

Don McLean – “American Pie”

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEPpzeK8v3s1Sbv0a8ty7G7qzattwmp9F&si=nH2LeFCjS20-JUx9

Arachnophonia: Back to the Future

Posted on by

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Marissa (class of 2025) and features the orchestral score for Back to the Future. Thanks, Marissa!

Back to the Future – Alan Silvestri

Back to the Future score

One of the most popular movie trilogies of the 1980s, Back to the Future follows Marty McFly, a boy who travels through time in a time machine made out of a DeLorean by local scientist, Doctor Emmett Brown (better known as “Doc”). In the first film, Marty accidentally goes back in time to 1955, and prevents his parents from falling in love. He finds a younger Doc, and they make a plan to get Marty’s parents back together, and then send him back to the future. Throughout the film, you hear a vibrant soundtrack that adds suspense to the story. The composer for this orchestral score, Alan Silvestri, met Back to the Future’s film director, Robert Zemeckis, when he composed the soundtrack for Romancing the Stone (a 1984 Zemeckis film). After the Back to the Future trilogy, Silvestri went on to work with Zemeckis for many, many more years.

If you’re interested in checking out this orchestral score or the scores to your other favorite movies, you can check out this item by Alan Silvestri and many more at the Parsons Music Library today.

Parsons Playlists: Oldies But Goodies

Posted on by

Welcome back to Parsons Playlists! Today’s playlist is curated by Music Library student manager Marissa (class of 2025) and features a collection of oldies.

Oldies But Goodies

Looking for some 60s/70s/80s/90s tunes to jam out to with your parents? Or, do you want to explore a different era of music on your own? I’ve gathered together my top picks for an “Oldies but Goodies” vibe.

Elton John – “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”

Billy Joel – “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)”

The Beatles – “Help!”

Fugees – “Killing Me Softly With His Song”

The Monkees – “Daydream Believer”

Edison Lighthouse – “Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)”

King Harvest – “Dancing in the Moonlight”

Fleetwood Mac – “Rhiannon”

Queen – “Don’t Stop Me Now”

ABBA – “Voulez Vous”

Glen Campbell – “Southern Nights”

Maxine Nightingale – “Right Back Where We Started From”

Here is a link to the whole playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEPpzeK8v3s09B3ivoIti76W67R2c2j9B&si=IjPb6SdYLo5ICFBT

Arachnophonia: Taylor Swift “folklore”

Posted on by

Editor’s note: Arachnophonia (“Arachno” = spider / “-phonia” = sound) is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

All links included in these posts will take you to either the library catalog record for the item in question or to additional relevant information from around the web.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student manager Marissa (class of 2025) and features Taylor Swift’s 2020 album folklore. Thanks, Marissa!

Taylor Swift

folklore

Taylor Swift - folklore (album cover)

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in July 2020, American singer-song writer Taylor Swift released her 8th studio album titled folklore. This album was vastly different from anything she had produced previously, drawing in a new crowd of indie folk fans.

While Swift’s usual songs are written about events that took place in her personal life, folklore takes a different route: each song tells a fictional story with the same cast of characters throughout the album. The tracks “cardigan”, “betty”, and “august” all center around a love triangle between the characters Betty, James, and Augustine. Most of these songs include only Taylor Swift‘s vocals, however the track “exile” features the band Bon Iver as well.

If you are interested in anything Taylor Swift, learning more about this love triangle, or are already a fan of indie folk music, I’d recommend checking out this CD today from Parsons Music Library. You can find the item here: folklore.