[Bards] a bardic rant
PBW
PBW_RN at ev1.net
Wed Nov 1 08:57:41 PST 2006
Ok I have kept silent and have been reading the hundreds of posts that have
been coming across the mailing list. First let me say that I am pleased and
excited to see the amount of communication happening and the bards list
being used.
I have been a bard in the SCA going on 13 years now. I have competed in
several competitions. I enjoy being a bard. I love singing and telling
stories, making people smile, and on occasion cry in sorrow, at a tale or
song. Have I ever won a competition? Nope. Have I walked away feeling
"cheated"? Nope. Frustrated? You bet your buttons. And it's that frustration
that has made me step back this past year and not compete, or for that
matter be much of a bard. The frustration has been building for the last
few years and finally reached its peak recently. Please keep in mind as you
read my rant that you are reading words on a computer screen and do not have
the benefit of seeing my body language, facial expression or tone of my
voice. This note is not meant to be a "slam" against any person or any
group.
What has made me frustrated? Not the lack of venues to perform that's for
sure, since I can usually make my own venue! <Grin> For the love of
entertainment I will tell a tale or sing a song, even if only to my dog!
What has frustrated me to the point of wondering why bother competing is
this: A competition will have a set of guidelines such as "one original
song/story for initial round, then second round will be judges choice" (or
whatever, that's just an example). Ok, so I prepare accordingly. I have a
few original songs and stories I can pull from, and usually I will make up
something that day (it seems I was most known as the bard who always
competed at Loch Ruadhs Lughnasadh by writing an original song on my dinner
napkin during feast, that was my Lughnasadh "Trademark" but I did not
compete this year so I cant claim that anymore). I have competed in several
competitions from several different groups with the same frustration
happening to the point I can no longer count how many times this has
happened. So that being said I comply with the rules set by the judges or
out going bard. I perform. Then someone who did not follow the guidelines
wins. Why should I bother anymore? If I am not going to be judged on what
was requested but rather be judged on what seems to me has become a
popularity contest what am I? To me that isn't being a bard. To me that has
become "star search" or a bad version of an SCA reality sitcom series.
One of my opening remarks when performing (be it in competition or just to
entertain at a list field) has been "I am a correspondent of the BNN. the
Bardic News Network and I would like to sing/tell you a tale about <insert
topic>". Well folks, the BNN needs work.
Do we need to resurrect the College? I honestly don't know. When it was
around I found very little support or assistance from it, largely because I
never knew who to go to or talk to. But I am willing to try. Do we need
another Charter? Again, I don't know. I'm just an entertainer these days.
Would I be willing to help? Yes, if I thought we really were heading
somewhere with things. Do I think we need to bring in more bardic styles
(i.e musical instrumentation)? I think that would be great personally but I
also see where it would be difficult to compete say a singer VS a story
teller VS a lute player and chose between just those three a bardic
champion.
Ok, I have ranted long enough. I return you to the bards of longevity within
the SCA and the people with more coherent thought processes. I shall return
to lurking in the shadows.
Lady Magdalia Mac an Ghabhann
More information about the Bards
mailing list