[Bards] List

[Marlin Stout]

lanphier taylor wrote:
>
> The Laurels of Ansteorra are talking ( and I mean they are just talking)
> about taking over the Kingdom Eistoffod ( sorry about the spelling) and
> making it a proper event. A festival  with group singing and group
> performance and everything that takes place at the event in Wales. I
> assume that they would also run it with their judging forms and rules on
> documentation and of course they would be the judges. The statement I
> heard that by this way a true kingdom bard could be chosen. Before I go
> and make an ass of myself I would like to know what you think of this
> idea.

 My greatest problem with this would be that it could easily end up
becoming a test of who's the best 'research bard', not who's the best
BARD. I get visions of the contest becoming more about the piece
performed and less about the performance. I've already seen some of this
at competitions, where (IMO) the best performances got passed over in
favor of someone who did a period piece, or an original piece in a
period style.
 I don't have a problem with doing period or original pieces. I DO have
a problem with that being more important than how good a performer
someone is. One can enter an original work, or research on period works,
in static A&S competitions. You can't do that with a performance.
 When I've been in a position of running a bardic contest, I have tried
to hold to a rule - Get experienced bards to do the judging.
 I think a bardic event could be a great thing. I think the contest to
select our kingdom bard should be judged by those who've held that
honor, or at least who are widely respected as bards in this Kingdom.

My 2 pence,
Ld Charles MacKinnon,
Bryn Gwlad