Olivia Gardner

  Mary Poppins Mary Poppins - The Life I lead - 1964 -USA-Richard & Robert Sherman Biographical Information Mary Poppins is a 1964 American musical fantasy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney (Mary Poppins). The film follows Mary Poppins, who visits a dysfunctional family in London and employs her unique brand of lifestyle to improve the family’s dynamic (Mary Poppins). The film, Mary Poppins was adapted from the book series written by P.L. Travers. “Mysterious and prickly, author P.L. Travers created the beloved governess Mary Poppins, further popularized by the Disney film and stage musical of the same name” (P.L. Travers).  In recent years, the movie Saving Mr. Banks , depicts the rocky relationship between P.L. Travers and Walt Disney as he attempted to adapt her book to the silver screen. This movie brings to light the tragic circumstances surrounding P.L. Traver's relationship with her father and reveals her inspiration for Mary Poppins. After

  Celtic Woman   Celtic woman is known for their revival of traditional Irish songs, which are showcased in their wildly popular performances. The group is comprised of 3-5  Irish female singers and 1 violinist. The founding members of Celtic women are Chloe Agnew, Orla Fallon, Lisa Kelly, Meav Mhaolchatha and Mairead Nesbitt. Celtic woman stays whole as a group by substituting other Irish singers when core members either cannot tour or retire. "Originally, Celtic woman was set to perform a 1 night show in Dublin, Ireland under the musical direction of David Downes" (O'Neill, et al. 2010). The group's performance was so well received by both live and television audiences that the group decided to plan a tour to continue sharing Ireland's music. Celtic woman has been sharing their musical talent and the Irish culture with audiences since 2004.   Celtic woman's role: "Celtic woman's fresh fusion of traditional Irish music and contemporary song craft cel

 A Musical Trip to China Chinese philosophers and composers have intertwined the physical and spiritual aspects of their rich culture into the music of the Chinese people. This cultural integration evokes feelings of tranquility and serenity when listening to Chinese songs. Development of Chinese music: The development of traditional ( Yayue )   Chinese music dates back to the Zhou dynasty, which reigned from 1122 BC-256 BC. "Music in the Zhou dynasty was conceived as a cosmological manifestation of the sound of nature integrated into the binary universal order of Yin and Yang" (Music of China 2021). The Zhou dynasty believed that "correct" music brought harmony and peace by incorporating the 5 elements of nature (water, fire, earth, air and space/emptiness) into their musical instruments (Meyer 2021). Different dynasties and philosophers had their own interpretation of "correct" Chinese music. Confucius, who was a revered Chinese philosopher, believed tha

Evolution of the acoustic to electric violin       The acoustic violin first appeared in the early 16th century and over time experienced modifications to enhance the quality of its sound. The modifications include changes in structure and materials to  achieve an even fuller, richer sound quality. As our society has modernized with the use of electricity and technology, so has the violin. The violin has evolved to incorporate the electronic age of synthesized sounds. Unlike the previous acoustic model however, it is debatable whether or not these changes have improved the quality and richness of its sound.  Here is the evolution of the acoustic violin to the modernized electric violin: Felix Mendelssohn Violin concerto in E minor, Op.64, 1845 -Germany Flame Of Hope: Tales of Arise, Motoi Sakuraba, 2021 -Japan Main Differences: The most noticeable difference between the acoustic violin and the electric violin is the sound. This sound difference is achieved through the evolution of the

"Believer"  A Musical Analysis Blog " Believer" , by imagine dragons was released on February 1, 2017 and was written by Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben Mckee, Daniel Platzman, and Justin Tranter featuring Dan Reynolds as lead vocalist. Imagine Dragons is an alternative/pop rock band who have received multiple music awards. Imagine Dragons has always been one of my favorite bands and with their release of believer,  my craving for an alternative song with an energetic, rock feel was satisfied. Their song Believer , tells of the struggles in different areas of Dan Reynold's life where pain was prevalent. It explains how he wrestled with and overcame certain difficulties by using different sources of pain as his newfound strength. Their music video visually captures his suffering and acceptance of painful struggles throughout in his life. Believer - Imagine Dragons- 2017, USA Lyrics The lyrics to believer  contain incredibly descriptive words, allowing the listen

 "Scars to Your Beautiful" A Musical Analysis Blog Scars to your beautiful was released in 2015 and became a radio hit the following year in 2016. It was written by Alessia Cara with the help of Warren Felder, Andrew Wansel, Coleridge Tillman, and Justin Franks. This song seemed to be released at the perfect time during my early teen years. At that time, I was struggling with my body image and the constant comparison to other girls, who were showcased on social media. The positive message in this song helped to pull me out of such a dark and judgmental place and learn to gain self-confidence. This song falls under the pop genre and presents an important message that so many young girls and boys can identify with.  Scars to Your Beautiful-Alessia Cara -2015,USA Lyrics The musical element in this song that resonates with me the most are the lyrics. It is apparent that these lyrics are more than just words to go with the melody. The lyrics were thoughtfully written by incorpora