Duration 3:25 min
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Due to its opportunistic scavenging habits and prolific numbers in and around urban parks, rubbish dumps (tips), garbage bins, cafes, and restaurants; the Australian White Ibis is locally known as the 'tip turkey', the 'dumpster diver'; or, most commonly: the 'bin chicken'!
The idea for Bin Chicken Ballet presented itself sitting in a restaurant outdoor area as the patrons having lunch were unwittingly entertained by two pairs of these 'un-pretty' bald-black-scaly headed, beady-eyed, dirty white feathered, duck-sized birds with elongated bony black-skinned legs performing what seemed to be an ungainly (and rather raucous) courting dance of sorts - the rear of each pair squawking at and pecking at the other in tandem as both pairs performed a circuitous ritual around the paved street in front of the restaurant in the middle of Sydney's Kings Cross. - Kara Williams
Instrumentation:
Flute, Oboe and/or Flute 2, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Horn in F, Trumpet, Trombone, Euphonium (or other bass clef C instrument), Tuba (covers bass clarinet) and/or Bass Clarinet (covers tuba)
Timpani x2 C/Bb/G & Eb (Timpani x3 G C/Bb & Eb)
Percussion I Snare Drum & Bass Drum
Percussion II Suspended cymbal (felt mallets) Woodblock & Tambourine
Percussion III Triangle & Ratchet (or scrape a guiro back and forth fast)
Glockenspiel
Xylophone
Vibraphone
Additional optional parts:
Clarinet 2 (easier part - covers some alto sax)
Alto saxophone 2 (easier part - covers some tenor sax/horn in F)
Trumpet 2 (easier part - covers some horn in F)
Bassoon (mix of euphonium, horn in F and tenor sax parts)
Baritone saxophone (covers the euphonium part)
