[Bards] Youth Bardic?

[Emily Minier]

In Northkeep, we have a Youth Bardic Champion chosen at our Castellan
event.  We've even had some youth compete in adult bardic comps up here
as well.  It's a great thing to see, a child with enough strength of
person to stand up before a hall of adults and belt out his best piece.
I've never seen them not receive the utmost respect and praise for their
attempts.  
 
I do agree that more could be done to encourage youth bardic.  It's not
just the High Schoolers that have a hard time staying occupied.  My
experience has been that pretty much any youth that is "too old" for
children's activities, but too young for "adult" activities has a
difficult time finding safe, "society-involved" activities.  
 
Quill, thank you so much for bringing this up.  I'm definitely going to
put some thought into this and see if I can get my household involved to
see if there's something we can do about this.
 
YIS,
Lady Nyx


________________________________

	From: bards-bounces at lists.ansteorra.org
[mailto:bards-bounces at lists.ansteorra.org] On Behalf Of Alden Drake
	Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 9:38 PM
	To: Ansteorran Bardic list
	Subject: Re: [Bards] Youth Bardic?
	
	
	I have a bardic student, who is still a minor, and I encourage
her to learn pieces that are appropriate for her age and maturity.  If I
ever question if a piece is appropriate for her, I will consult her
mother.  She (my student) also happens to currently be the Youth Bardic
Champion of Bordermarch. 
	 
	At least around the Stargate area, the circles I attend are
generally mindful of young ears in the audience, and will reserve the
more colorful pieces until they have gone to bed.  I'm pretty well known
for some bawdy songs, and reserve said songs for my "Alden After Dark"
set.  I usually reserve these until pretty late (10p-12a), depending on
who is in the audience.  I've found that most of the parents who stay at
circles late with their kids have no objection to colorful pieces.  The
same generally holds true for parents, who know me, who let their kids
stay late at circles without their supervision.  If I see kids at a
circle I don't know, or whose parents I don't know, I'll hold off on
singing the bawdy stuff.  A bard should always be mindful of their
audience.  We are after all in the business of entertaining them, not
just ourselves.  In the early hours of the circles, when kids are
present, we are usually pretty good to encourage the kids to participate
as well.  You want to talk about appropriate songs...you should hear 2-3
little boys sing "Beer Beer Beer (Charlie Mopps)".  I believe my
response was, "Alrighty then!" heh
	 
	As far as other youth bardic venues goes, I've seen bardic
classes taught in the past.  Hey!  Anyone want to teach some at Westgate
Winter Collegium on August 4? (shameless plug and appeal to teachers)
I've also seen MoCs ask bards to come do bardic stuff for childrens'
activities at events - those usually go over very well.
	 
	Alden
	
	
	----- Original Message ----
	From: Quill <darkphoenixbc at gmail.com>
	To: bards at lists.ansteorra.org
	Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 8:09:08 PM
	Subject: [Bards] Youth Bardic?
	
	
	I was fortunate to have just reached the age of majority by the
time I really started getting into SCA; however, being thus young I'm
acutely aware of the difficulties in being an older youth (high school
jr/sr) and trying to participate in events. 

	Acquaintances just a few months younger than me have a hard time
staying interested in SCA when they aren't allowed to really participate
in half of what goes on; because of this I've taken an interest in the
various "youth" activities available. 

	Furthermore, my brothers, even at elementary and preschool ages,
show a great deal of bardic spirit (of "awen", if you will) which I
regularly nurture.

	But I wonder now, is there an avenue for these talents to be
expressed? I'll admit I haven't been at this long, and attended few
Bardic anything, still from what I've seen I wouldn't want either babe
present, personally. 

	On the one hand, there IS a difference in appropriate
entertainment for children and for adults. I mean, fun as it is to have
two little voices scream MACINTYRE! from the back of the car on long
journeys, neither I nor my parents are exactly thrilled that they can
belt out drinking songs better than they know their ABC's... And there's
a lot of subject matter in even our most common stories and songs which
mightn't be deemed entirely suitable. On the other hand, there are
different levels of tolerance in parents. Still, one should err on the
side of caution... 

	Propriety aside, kids just don't really care about sex and
drinking. BUT, give them The Unicorn Song, or even Ring 'round The Rosy
(black death = fun?) and they can go on for hours. and they haven't the
stamina to sing the sun out of the sky and back again. 

	I think I'm starting to digress. My point is, I want to know if
there's any consideration for youth in Bardic? (And by youth I mean
everyone from toddlers in T-tunics to guys like me who are standing on
the edge of that sudden [voice] drop.) 

	While we grownups have our fun drinking and crowing late into
the night, what of the wee ones who start to drop before sunset? While
the Bards are busy with their epic poems and randy rounds, have we no
four-minute fairy tales and clever teaching rhymes for the bardlings?
Isn't this an art we ought to encourage from early ages? 

	Just curious.

	/Quill
	(the apparently alliterative)
	 
	 
	"On the outside Trelac blue,
	but to kingdom I am true;
	Azure is but armor for
	the Sable soul and heart of Or!"
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