'Glee' Star Darren Criss Surprise Serenades Oscar-Winning Composer Alan Menken at Conference

Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken, who written the music activity for your Little Mermaid, Beauty as well as the Animal, Aladdin plus much more, once handed a hundred dollar tip with a college kid doing an acoustic medley of his tunes inside a coffee shop.our editor recommendsMaestro Award Recipient Alan Menken on not able to Movie Musicals (Q&A)VIDEO: Darren Criss, Harry Shum Junior., Jenna Ushkowitz: Glee Official: Chord Overstreet Returns to 'Glee' in December Nowadays that "kid" is way better known to as Darren Criss from Glee, at the Billboard / Hollywood Reporter Film & TV Music Conference on Monday, he gained an unpredicted appearance before participants -- along with his guitar in hands -- and serenaded Menken once again. "Just take a look at tunes / aren't they neat? Wouldn't you think your collection's complete?" Criss sang, reworking the lyrics to Menken's "Part of Your World" within the Little Mermaid. "Wouldn't you think you're the guy, the guy which has everything?" STORY:Is 'Glee' Past Its Prime round the Music Charts? The medley found the final outcome by getting a look and feel within the voice of Jasmine herself, Jum Salonga. "Used to do formerly play for pennies inside a cafe within the College of Michigan," Criss referred to from stage. "I used to be just wrecking 'Part around the globe' when Alan will come in. I used to be just shocked!" "He was playing a number of these tunes really, really fantastically," Menken countered, still recouping from his genuine surprise. "I used to be really impressed along with his talent. Next factor I realize, Darren's on Glee! He's just doing incredible work." Criss later states he spent the $100 "on alcohol." Billboard Editorial Director Bill Werde presented Menken using this year's Billboard / Hollywood Reporter Maestro Award after showing him as "the Babe Ruth of composers." Indeed, to call Menken's own resume "incredible" is a mammoth understatement. "The most popular part about [his] career is always that in the course of the ྌs, Bmi gave [him] a very long time achievement award for his concentrate on Broadway -- after which it he ongoing to win eight Academy awards," Werde marveled within the stage. In the extended chat that was heavy on wisecracks, the pair spoken about Menken's early fascination with songwriting (which eventually incorporated inspiration within the Beatles, the Moving Gems and Bob Dylan), his transition from Broadway to Disney, his non-Disney work (his song in this summer season's Captain America: The Initial Avenger, mentioned Menken, was "deliberately an homage to Irving Berlin") and also the multiple Oscar wins. STORY: Alexandre Desplat Wins Film Composer of year at World Soundtrack Honours Menken spoke fondly about his parents, all of whom are dental professionals, in addition to their reply to Little Shop of Problems particularly. One of the film's villains, clearly, can be a murderous dental office who loves imposing discomfort. "After I always did in people days, I truly gave my parents a cassette tape in the score." His recounting in the reacting to-machine message left because when mother elicited some large laughs. "'Hi honey, it's mother. We heard the tape. OK.'" They eventually got behind it too as lent some pictures of abscesses for the production. Through the wide-different conversation, Menken advised composers inside the audience against getting too installed on their tunes when concentrating on musicals. "It's not in regards to the song. It's in regards to the song in context in the musical. Does it fit the level of smoothness? Does it provide the relaxation in the story? Does it do this with an audience?" He mentioned he's even exchanged better tunes for lesser tunes if the offered the story. He's a inclination to create around the piano or keyboard, and mentioned that whenever writing alone, he's substantially faster. "I've literally had occasions where I've written the dwelling from the song inside the time it needed my fingers to see it." In comparison, "the song 'Beauty as well as the Animal' was several hours at work, that's unusual for just about any simple ballad. We'd a tape running the entire duration of [cowriter] Howard [Ashman] and me concentrating on it. In some manner I saved that tape which i've it." Menken received multiple standing ovations within the audience, but possibly Criss put it best: "The amount of Oscars is one to bastard hold?" Criss sang to have an eruption of laughter around the room. "He's got verses and bridges aplenty / Want a geniune song for that movie? He'll write 20." Give consideration to a lot of the medley below: Related Subjects Glee Alan Menken Darren Criss