Wish Upon a Star is a collection of ten songs from ten different Disney movies, arranged for solo piano and performed by Tom Ameen. The oldest song comes from the 1937 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (“Someday My Prince Will Come”) and the newest is from the 2025 Snow White remake (“Waiting On a Wish”). I’ve reviewed quite a few of Tom’s albums and I’m always impressed with the way he allows the melodies to sing without a lot of flashy piano pyrotechnics, keeping them fresh and from the heart. The overall mood of the album is dreamy and soothing - a joy to listen to amid the chaos of these turbulent times!

Wish Upon a Star begins with a sweet and tender version of “Kiss the Girl” from The Little Mermaid (1989) - a lovely beginning! “Two Worlds” from Tarzan (1999) is gently haunting in some passages and warmly encouraging in others, before fading out at the end. Tom slows “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from Mary Poppins (1964) quite a bit, but keeps it magical! As I mentioned, “Someday My Prince Will Come” is from the 1937 version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Wistful and dreamy yet passionate and heartfelt, it’s a wonderful arrangement! “I Won’t Say I’m In Love” is from Hercules (1997), and the simple but deeply emotional melody feels poignant and somewhat vulnerable. I really like this one, too! Much of “I’ve Got a Dream” from Tangled (2010) is played in the upper half of the piano keyboard, giving it a feeling of childlike innocence. “Waiting On a Wish” is from the newer version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (2025) and sounds much more contemporary. I haven’t heard the original song, but I’ll be looking for it since Tom’s arrangement is so beautifully expressive - another favorite! When I was teaching piano lessons in the Bay Area, the vast majority of my students were Asian-American, so when Mulan was released in 1998, it quickly became a favorite among students and I taught a lot of the music from the movie. Tom’s version of “Reflection” stirs a lot of fond memories - as music often does! Love it! Dating back to 1940’s Pinocchio, “When You Wish Upon a Star” is one of Disney’s most iconic and recognizable songs. Tom arranged it as a dreamy waltz and makes it sound fresh and new. I wasn’t familiar with “Remember Me” from 2017’s Coco, but what a beautiful way to end this excellent and uplifting album!

Wish Upon a Star is available to stream and download on Amazon and Apple Music/iTunes and on many streaming platforms including Spotify and Pandora. Very highly recommended!!!