Dig A Little Deeper (from The Princess And The Frog): SATB Choral Octavo

Mark Brymer's arrangement brings the infectious optimism of this Oscar-nominated song into a framework that lets SATB voices shine without sacrificing the soul of Newman's original. The piece walks a satisfying line between accessibility and musicality, offering genuine fun for singers while maintaining the encouragement and hope embedded in the text. Audiences respond immediately to this song, which means your choir gets both the joy of performing something they know and the musical substance that makes the performance feel earned.

Warm encouragement wrapped in a groove. The melody sits comfortably in the middle voice range, making it accessible to most singers while the harmonies add sophistication beneath. There's an infectious optimism here that comes from the text and Newman's composition, paired with the rhythmic confidence of a song designed to move people.

Any SATB choir looking to program something with immediate appeal and solid musical substance. This works equally well for concert choirs, pop ensembles, and groups eager to engage audiences with contemporary film repertoire that feels singable without being simplistic.

• Establish the groove early in rehearsal by having the rhythm section or piano lock into the swing feel before adding voices. This song lives in its rhythmic pocket, and once that's solid, everything else settles in place naturally.
• Shape the ensemble sound to feel conversational rather than operatic. Newman's lyrical style asks for directness and warmth, not volume or weight.
• Balance the harmonic depth in the lower voices without letting them overshadow the melodic material. Sopranos and altos should feel supported, not buried.
• Consider dynamics as emotional punctuation. The text itself signals where energy builds and where it softens; let the singers discover these moments through careful attention to Newman's lyric phrasing.

This belongs in a set of contemporary or film music selections, where it can anchor a lighter second half or punctuate a more eclectic program. It also pairs well thematically with other character songs or inspirational material, and works beautifully as a closer that leaves an audience smiling.

• Singing in a contemporary groove with rhythmic precision
• Balancing conversational tone with ensemble blend
• Reading and executing syncopated rhythmic figures in SATB texture
• Sustaining emotional clarity while maintaining harmonic accuracy