[Bards] Bards in the SCA - Questions

Emily Minier adalia.nyx at gmail.com
Mon Aug 16 06:40:32 PDT 2010


WIthout trying to be over generalized, I think it best to tackle your
questions one at a time.  Most of the answers can be summed up as "It
depends." or "it's different for each individual".  For those answers, I'll
give you my take on them.  Please remember this is simply how I see it and
not necessarily the only way it can be.  :)

What genres of the bardic are there, currently? - All of them, it just
depends on where you go and to whom you listen.  In the North (at least in
the far north), for example, right now we seem to be focused on the
Sing-a-Long at a bardic fire...something the audience is part of...not just
listening to.

In the "Myth and History" we're told bards have several titles, how does
that manifest today?  Well, many of the pieces we perform are at least
'periodesque', leaning towards the pieces or types of pieces performed in
period.  Some will scoff at that answer, but even our modern 'filks' harken
back to the middle ages, for they too were fond of a good 'filk'...they just
didn't have the same genre's of music to filk as we do today.  Some of the
pieces are actually historically based. Some are SCA Historically based
(meaning that the song is done periodesque, but the events in the song
happened last year at 'war').  So, in all honesty, it manifests differently
for each person.  Some will see the history, some will see the bawdy (which
is also period), some will just see fun, and some will see multple facets...

Is any performer called a bard, or are 'Bards' held to a higher standard?
This one's a tough one.  Some will call themselves bards because they are
performers.  Personally, I became a bard when someone ELSE called me one.
It was then that I knew that they held me to that unwritten standard.  Prior
to that when someone asked if I was a bard, my answer was "I try", or "I
will be", or "I hope so".  But again, that answer is different for each
individual.
There's a specific etiquette to being a bard? There is, indeed, a specific
etiquette to being a "good" bard.  You see, it's not just our job to
entertain, but also to teach.  The hardest lesson for new bards to learn is
when to let others have the stage.  I've been at this a while.  There are a
few songs that I will sing if I am asked for them.  There are still others
that I will point to a newer bard and say "You know, He/She knows that one,
lets let them have a turn and we can all sing-a-long".  If there is a lull
in the circle and it threatens to kill the circle, then by all means, it is
my job as an experienced bard to perform something that will pull the
audience back in, but that doesn't mean that I have to hold the floor for
the entire show.  If I run out of songs to sing in a single night, I've held
the floor WAY WAY WAY too long.

Are bards an official position within the SCA, with ceremonies, rites of
passage, and levels of accomplishment?  Or are they more informal?  Bards,
in general, are more informal.  As you perform at or attend bardic circles,
you'll start to learn who is whom.  We do have official bardic positions in
Ansteorra, but you don't have to hold one of them to be a bard.

What usually happens in a bardic circle?  How long does it last?  A bardic
circle is usually a gathering of people/friends around a fire, singing
songs, telling stories, laughing and having a good time.  It lasts as long
as the people enjoying it last.  At some bardic circles there is more
formallity...some circles are "Perform, Request, Pass" type circles where
someone starts and it goes around the circle and each person at the circle
MUST either perform, request a piece, or pass their turn (formally)...this
type of circle if rare, but does occur (usually when there are LOTS and LOTS
of strong bards and the organizer doesn't know how to handle the struggle
for the spot light).

What is a 'NSTIW story circle'? NSTIW is an acronym for "No S&!% There I
Was"...these are usually funny anecdotes that actually occurred at an event
or at a war.

What is involved in a 'bardic competition'? A Bardic competition usually has
a round format.  Meaning that each competitor will perform once per round
(rounds are set by the oranizer) and each round will have a style that is
required OR another example would be that each performer must perform at
least 2 different styles (poem, song, or story) in a 2 round competition and
the performer gets to choose which piece to do when.  This is invaluable
experience as another tough lesson to learn is what to perform and when to
perform it (how to read the audience).

If one were interested in becoming a bard, how would one begin? The easiest
way to begin is to attend some bardic circles at events in your area.  If
you want to get started before then, tell us where you are and we'll see if
we can't get an experienced bard in touch with you privately, to help you on
your way.

If you choose to attend a bardic circle, bring a pen and paper with you, jot
down a line or two of the songs you hear that you like (and the bard's name,
if you can catch it), then you can google the songs when you get home to
help you build a "song book"....all I ask that you be aware of copyright,
and of some authors requests that their pieces not be performed from paper.

If you'd like to talk more, on or off-list, shoot me an email.  I'm
available to talk.  I live in Northkeep (the Tulsa OK area), but I make
almost every Northern event.  I'd be happy to help point you in the right
direction by showing you what works for me.  It may not work for you, that's
okay too...and you may find that some of what works for me and some of what
works for Svan, and some of what works for Lucas all mushed together will
work best for you...That's even better, because then you will be developing
your own style and not just a duplicate of any one of us.

On Mon, Aug 16, 2010 at 7:57 AM, Fields Family Farm <fields at texas.net>wrote:

> Thank you for the link to "What Is A Bard:  The Myth and History".  Some of
> that I at least passingly knew, some was new to me.
>
> Other questions have presented themselves:
>
> What genres of the bardic are there, currently?  In the "Myth and History"
> we're told that bards are poets, historians, judges, teachers, and more,
> but
> how does this manifest in the SCA today?  Is any performer called a bard,
> or
> are 'Bards' held to a higher standard?
>
> There's a specific etiquette to being a bard?
>
> Are bards an official position within the SCA, with ceremonies, rites of
> passage, and levels of accomplishment?  Or are they more informal?
>
> What usually happens in a bardic circle?  How long does it last?
>
> What is a 'NSTIW story circle'?
>
> What is involved in a 'bardic competition'?
>
> If one were interested in becoming a bard, how would one begin?
>
>
> Hrethric/Rick
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Message: 1
> > Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 22:00:31 -0500
> > From: Genie Barrett <maggegene at gmail.com>
> > To: Ansteorran Bardic list <bards at lists.ansteorra.org>
> > Subject: [Bards] Bards in the SCA, was: Bards Digest, Vol 50, Issue 2
> > Message-ID:
> >        <AANLkTina28zUa_B7p3kVBBpULZkiobE-j9iQ+iHpCN=e at mail.gmail.com>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> >
> > Welcome Hrethrec,
> >
> > Well, we perform (whatever our particular genre is), we teach (I'm
> teaching
> > a bardic ettiquette class next weekend at Glaslyn's artisan event), and
> we
> > enjoy each other's company.
> >
> > I'll amend this question for my fellow bards/scalds/performers....
> >
> > *What have you done, performance-wise, in the last month or two, and what
> > are you wanting to do in the near future?*
> >
> > I have taught classes, sung around the house, and begun writing a new
> song.
> > I hope to add bardic performance to my displays at Laurel's Prize Tourney
> > and Steppes Artisan.
> >
> > Of note to all my performing friends out there,
> >
> > I will also be helping judge the bardic competition at Three Kings this
> > year, and hope to host a bardic circle there.  Would it be better to do
> it
> > Friday night, or Saturday night?  Anyone want to vote?
> >
> > Glad that the heat's days are numbered,
> > Magge MacPherson
> > Bard
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------
> >
> > Message: 2
> > Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 22:57:44 -0500
> > From: Kihe Blackeagle <kihebard at hotmail.com>
> > To: Ansteorran Bards <bards at lists.ansteorra.org>
> > Subject: Re: [Bards] Bards in the SCA, was: Bards Digest, Vol 50,
> >        Issue 2
> > Message-ID: <BLU135-W2195F71995B00023E498B5D59A0 at phx.gbl>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> >
> >
> > Maggie, my experience would suggest that a bardic circle at Three Kings
> may
> > do better Friday night than on Saturday night.
> >
> > Saturday night might do better for the NSTIW story circle....
> >
> > Ahem - what I've been doing for the last (mumble) months has been mostly
> > non-SCA, not-particularly-Bardic (my lady's father has been preparing
> for,
> > and has now had, reverse shoulder replacement surgery - and he had a
> serious
> > reaction to something in the process that has slowed his recovery enough
> > that we are scrambling to ease his way through the first few days in a
> > nursing facility).
> >
> > Although..... in the traditional sense of the Bard, that has very much
> been
> > part & parcel of What Bards Do.  (Yes, I'm working on re-writing /
> revising
> > The Bardic Paper again.  It will ALWAYS be somewhat of a work in
> progress,
> > actually.  Two revs back at
> > http://bard.ansteorra.org/bardcraft/whatisabard.doc is still close
> enough
> > for immediate purposes.)
> >
> > Questioning the answers as usual, I remain
> > Amra, curmudgeon-in-training
> >
> > Adieu, Amra  / ttfn - Mike / Pax ... Kihe
> >
> > Mike C. Baker / Kihe Blackeagle
> > Opinions? I'm FULL of 'em
> >
> > ************************************
> >
> >
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>



-- 
HL Adalia VonderBerg
Titled Bard of Vatavia, Calontir
Skald of Skorragardr
Herald of Northkeep
Apprentice to Sir Finn Kelley O'Donnell


Music expresses that which cannot be put into words, but also cannot remain
unsaid.



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