Music

[Vicki]

Greetings all,

 After reading the posts concerning the ideal event, I would like to add my 
two bezants worth.

   Many of you listed "lots of music" as being desirable for the "perfect" 
event.  How many of you work to encourage that?? I have found after all my 
17+ years in the SCA that musicians are often treated as living tape players.
I have been in groups that worked for months on a performance in court only 
to have the herald interrupt us for another presentation.  I have personally 
been performing for the head table only to be interrupted by someone wanting 
to talk to the noble there.  Such things happen. 

  There are the exceptions, but most of the time, if we are appreciated, 
only the director of the group is given the public kudos.  A group of 
musicians, vocal &/or instrumental, is just that. A group, where each person 
contributes and every part is important. An example is where I found myself 
recently having to introduce a member of our music guild to one of the 
nobles here.  This person has performed for the noble's court for the last 
several years in an ensemble and is the current leader of the music guild, 
yet was totally unknown to said noble.  I fully realize the constraints of 
time and energy on the landed nobility, so please don't lecture me on that 
topic.

  The gist of my soapbox is this:  If you like something, encourage it and 
appreciate it.

 And, if you are interested, the very best event I have ever been to was the 
Kingdom Dance Symposium in Middleford.  It was held in a hotel and we had 
classes on dance and music during the day.  Then a sideboard was provided 
(OK, hotel food is not my favorite, but it was food), and we danced and 
played for HOURS!!! In Air conditioning!!! Then several friends and I sat in 
the lobby and played music and sang until our fingers were about to fall off 
and our voices were hoarse.  But the act that touched me the most is when 
the dance master from California stood on a chair and announced that our 
orchestra was the best one he had ever heard in the Known World and called 
for us all to stand and receive applause.  **sigh** It was wonderful.

  I will get down off my soapbox now, 

   In Service, Lady Zahra Zena