[Bards] What is a bard?

[Melody Soice]

Although my primary interest is in instrumental music I admit that it is 
probably the most problematic area for competition because of questions 
about period instruments, period music played on the appropriate 
instruments, and, most sadly, lack of qualified judges.  Good documentation 
on the part of the performer can make up for a lot of these problems but 
it's still a kettle of worms.  That's not even considering that it generally 
takes much longer to gain proficiency in instrumental music.  I can 
certainly understand why it tends to lag behind.  (even if I think it's the 
most fun!)

Melody




>On Oct 25, 2006, at 5:15 PM, Jay Rudin wrote:
>
> > Michael Silverhands wrote:
> >
> >> Exactly. They have no other appropriate venue. I think that's one
> >> reason why instrumental music just sort of limps along -- at best, as
> >> a "dance band" for European or Middle Eastern dance. And that's why
> >> I'd love to see a champion for instrumental music in the Kingdom
> >> <whatever> of Bards.
> >
> > It's been my experience that, when building a church, you can't
> > build the
> > steeple first.
> >
> > You need to build a foundation.  Hold an instrumental music
> > competition.
> > Talk it up.  See who comes.  Get feedback.  Hold a few more.  If
> > the idea
> > grabs enough people, then others will start holding them.
> >
> > The College could certainly sponsor such competitions.  I'd be
> > comfortable
> > with the idea, and think it would help make it clear that we are
> > here to
> > help people, rather than to exclude them.  You don't need a Kingdom
> > Champion; you need venues.
> >
> > Build from the ground up, not from the steeple down.
> >
> > Robin of Gilwell / Jay Rudin
>
>Not Champion (big C), but champion (little C) -- someone who is
>active within the Kingdom <whatever> of Bards, and who actively
>promotes the instrumental music performing arts by whatever means
>(perhaps to include but not limited to judged competitions).
>
>champion. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English
>Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved October 25, 2006, from
>Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/champion
>"3. An ardent defender or supporter of a cause or another person: a
>champion of the homeless."
>
>I agree, build from the ground up. But I wasn't (yet) talking about
>championships or competitions -- just encouragement, education and
>(leading by) example.[1] :-)
>
>I don't even know whether there's enough interest to, for example,
>host a regular musician's workshop here in the Stargate area. I'm
>pretty sure it's been tried, and (looking around) I don't see an
>active guild, so it must have faded away. But maybe there's enough
>interest to support less regular workshops, drawing from a larger
>base. In fact, there have been workshops for musicians in concert
>with the Kingdom Dance symposium.
>
>But I don't remember seeing one lately. :-/
>
>Michael