The Bat: 2-Part Choral Octavo
Words and music by Andy Beck
Item: 00-PO-0007012
$2.05
Minimum order quantity: 20 copies
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Description
Fans of Andy's Firefly and The Moon will love this clever piece written especially for 2-part choirs. Captivating vocal lines take flight over a chilling piano part and evoke the presence of the nocturnal mammal. Quick-changing dynamics, textures, and articulations are both the challenge and the reward of this vivid and vigorous, moody and modal gem. A true thriller that will add variety to programs year-round.
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Additional Details
Series:
Alfred Choral Designs
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
12
SKU:
00-PO-0007012
More about this title
About the Composer: Andy Beck
Andy Beck serves as Director of Choral Publications at Alfred Music and has composed and arranged more than 450 choral works now in active performance worldwide. His publications span secular and sacred repertoire, children's musicals, and foundational vocal resources including Sing at First Sight and Vocalize! 45 Vocal Warm-Ups That Teach Technique. Beyond the page, he works extensively as a guest conductor, choreographer, and clinician for honor choirs and all-state ensembles across the country.
A trained tenor with degrees in Music Education from Ithaca College and Northwest Missouri State University, Beck brings both compositional skill and classroom experience to his work. He has been an Alfred studio singer since 1992 and remains active as a performer with the North Carolina Master Chorale Chamber Choir and in musical theatre. His dual commitment to choral artistry and music education shapes every piece he writes.
Why we love this
Beck writes for real choirs with real teaching moments built in. The modal harmonic language, rapid textural shifts, and precise articulation markings give singers substantive challenges without overwhelming a developing ensemble. This is the kind of piece that sounds sophisticated in performance while genuinely shaping how singers approach interpretation and dynamic control.
What to expect
The piece unfolds like a nocturnal scene, with vocal lines that flutter and circle while the piano part creates an unsettling, shadowy backdrop. The energy shifts between playful skittering and genuinely eerie passages, giving the bat a personality that's both mischievous and mysterious rather than simply scary.
Who it's for
Two-part choirs at the middle school through early high school level seeking fall and Halloween programming that moves beyond novelty into genuine artistry. Singers ready to explore modal harmony, dynamic shaping, and rhythmic precision will find plenty to dig into without getting lost in technical density.
How to get the most out of it
- Map the dynamics and articulation changes in a separate pass before drilling vocal lines. The piece asks singers to shift mood and intensity frequently, and marking these shifts in pencil gives singers a visual roadmap.
- Treat the piano part as a full character in the piece, not accompaniment. The chilling quality Beck describes comes from the interplay between voices and keyboard, so rehearse with piano from the start.
- Experiment with the balance between the two parts. Quick textural changes work best when singers listen acutely to each other; ensemble singing here rewards attentive listening over volume.
How to use it
Program this in October or November concerts where it becomes a natural conversation starter, or save it for a winter concert alongside other Andy Beck selections to showcase the breadth of his compositional voice. It also works well in festival programming where its distinctive character and strong musicianship stand out in a lineup of more conventional pop-influenced pieces.
Skills your students will build
- Singing in modal tonality
- Rapid dynamic and articulation changes within phrases
- Blending two-part harmony with precise intonation
- Responding to textural shifts and maintaining ensemble unity through shifting accompaniment patterns
- Interpreting character and mood through vocal production and phrasing