**Work** : Bulgarian Bat Bite
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**Composer** : Mike Curtis [[http://www.mikecurtismusic.com/Bio.html]]
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**Difficulty Ranking** : [[iv|IV]]
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**Publisher** : Advance Music
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**Year Published** : 2004
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**Commission** : Quartetto Italiano di Clarinetti
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**Instrumentation** : 3 Bb Clarinets and 1 Bass Clarinet
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**Potential Pedagogical Applications** : Articulation matching, intonation (octave, unison, and
chordal), ensemble mechanics, phrase matching and handoffs, solo passages, five-eight
time, frequent metric shifts, extended techniques (mouthpiece/bottom joint playing)
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**Sample Recording** : [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeCy3Xup_pQ]]
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**Where to Purchase Sheet Music** : [[http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/bulgarian-bat-bite-sheet-music/17446542]]
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**Annotation** : Adapted from an early duet by Mike Curtis, Bulgarian Bat Bite showcases the
composer’s Balkan influences. The work utilizes frequent metric shifts alongside its klezmer
ornamentation (pitch bends, trills, and gracenotes). The range of the is moderate and does not
exceed E 4 . There is a passage near the middle of this piece that requires clarinets one and two to
perform with the mouthpiece in the lower half of the clarinet. This in addition to the frequent
metric shifts can be overwhelming for many intermediate students.
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{{:curtis_bulgarian_bat_bite.png?nolink|}}