[Bards] A Question of Categories

[Melody Soice]

I've got to agree here.  As someone who aspires to be a musician and has 
absolutely no desire to compose poetry or story it almost seems a bit of a 
relief to admit to not being a bard by these standards.  So many bardic 
competitions discourage, if not completely exclude, those with no desire to 
write.  I enjoy the music and I love doing a bit of research and performing 
a period piece but if that is outside the realm of bardic than I'm happier 
out of the competition.  I guess I'm old enough that I give myself 
permission to avoid things I don't enjoy--mainly performing my own medioucre 
at best but usually lousey poetry.

Melody
Rambling in the general direction of the thread...


>I admit that I think of myself more as a musician than a bard - I 
>occasionally wonder why I'm on this list but we all tend to fall under a 
>catchall of "bardic arts".  I love to play music at events with other 
>musicians (running into Gerald is always a pleasure...!)  and tend to bring 
>music, instruments and stand to any event I go to.  I admit I don't know 
>any Ansteorran history stories and I only occasionally try my hand at 
>writing a poem.  If I imagine myself competing in a bardic competition I 
>usually think of singing with an instrument or, perhaps, reciting something 
>from a period play or poem.  If there were to be a move to separate "true 
>bardic arts" from singing, acting, and instrumental music, it wouldn't 
>particularly pain me - I might be relieved to finally know exactly where I 
>stand!  On the other hand, will continue to do what I enjoy. I agree with 
>Gerald that music really lends to the ambiance of an event.  Baron Thomas 
>once remarked to a group of us "Your music
>  sounds great!" I said "I'm glad you are enjoying it because you couldn't 
>stop us!".
>
>   Doesn't really enhance the category discussion but there's my 2 cent 
>ramble. - Mot
>


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