[Bards] Question on performance judging forms

Jenn Forsyth swcfolksinger at yahoo.com
Thu May 11 17:34:57 PDT 2006


I agree with Kat on this one. I too like a brief synopsis with following documentation. Anyone can say "this is a 12th century peice from germany and it should be done like this". Well great - but why is that? The documentation is an important piece if you are basing your performance as such. 
   
  As far as the form issue goes... I, too, see it as a guideline - not as a rule book. When I judge, it helps keep me on track and is convenient for feedback later on. I do speak to the performers afterwards as well... but the judging form often gives them something concrete in their hands to assist them. It also lets them know if they are improving over a period of time, and if different judges are hearing/ seeing the same thing. 
   
  I don't feel that anything can take the place of one on one coaching.... but with as busy as events are and people doing multiple things, its nice to have a reference later on. 
   
  I look forward to sharing more thoughts in person as well...
  ~Mea

Kathy Elliott <bardkat at verizon.net> wrote:
      I favor the school that documentation is meant to educate your judges about your performance/art.  I usually do a one page "Documentation in Brief," which is really meant for the judges who already know about Old French Chansons (or 14th century Border Ballads, or Viking folk tales, or whatever).  This is where I prove to the educated judge that I've done my research, and I know what I'm talking about.  Then, I follow it up with a couple of pages of documentation that could be used to teach the uneducated judge why my performance is in a period style (or why it's not in certain areas), and my references.  (Always have enough copies for ALL of the judges, plus some extras.)
   
  Most judges will only read one page (if that) during a competition.  But many competitions allow you to turn in documentation ahead of time.  And, judges can always look at my paperwork during a break.  I think a judge should be able to read and understand ALL of your documentation.  (I always run mine past my husband, who knows almost nothing about music history.  If he can understand it, I figure I'm in pretty good shape.)
   
  As far as telling if it's good scholarship, judges really don't have a way to tell if they are presented with faulty information, unless they are already familiar with the topic.  Research papers are submitted several weeks before competitions.  Documentation is submitted a few minutes before a performance.  Hopefully, between all of the judges, someone will know something about the style.  If all of someone's references are web-based, I'd probably see some red flags.
   
  Kat
    
  -----Original Message-----
 (snip)
   
  And how much documentation is a judge supposed to be able to read, understand, and be able to tell if it's even good scholarship. BEcause there is a LOT of bad scholarship out there -- what are the standards of that?
_______________________________________________
Bards mailing list
Bards at ansteorra.org
http://www.ansteorra.org/mailman/listinfo/bards

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.ansteorra.org/pipermail/bards-ansteorra.org/attachments/20060511/8bf3646a/attachment-0001.htm>


More information about the Bards mailing list