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<body>For those of who could not be there, THANK YOU. It sounds like this was what a bardic competition should aspire to be. :)<BR>
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Congratulations to all and I hope to see everyone performing soon.<BR>
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Saundra<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>
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> From: jerryn@houston.rr.com<BR>> To: bards@lists.ansteorra.org<BR>> Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2007 11:51:19 -0600<BR>> Subject: [Bards] Report on Eisteddfod AS XLI<BR>> <BR>> For those of you who weren't able to make Eisteddfod, let me be the first to<BR>> tell you that you missed one of the finest competitions I've had the<BR>> privelege of being a part of. What follows is one poor minstrel's attempt<BR>> to report on Kingdom Eisteddfod, January 6th, AS XLI.<BR>> <BR>> The weather was cold and blustery through the day. The tent became so<BR>> crowded with bards and audience that a wall had to be taken down so that<BR>> others outside the tent could watch the performances. While the weather<BR>> grew colder toward the later part of the afternoon, enough spare cloaks and<BR>> heat sources were available that few were uncomfortable (except in the RoD,<BR>> in which there were 15 varying levels of discomfort). Lady Melody McGregor<BR>> ran a hospitality pavillion behind the performance pavillion, with welcomed<BR>> warm drinks and small noshes for hungry bards. The placement of the<BR>> entertainment pavillion along the walkway gave a good exposure for the<BR>> competition as it was along a main entry path, rather than being stuck away<BR>> in a corner of the building, or having to contend with a noisy hall (and<BR>> they're all noisy, and it IS distracting). Should Eisteddfod return to<BR>> wandering about the Kingdom, I would recommend that we continue to find ways<BR>> to hold the competition outside, near a major access path. <BR>> <BR>> Eleanor, it was easy to see, from the start, how much of your heart is taken<BR>> with being a part of the bardic community. Your words of encouragement<BR>> before the competition began were heartfelt and welcomed. By the time the<BR>> competition had started there were fifteen entrants, with Maggie starting<BR>> off with a wonderful poem that she recited in English, then Chinese, which<BR>> left the audience floored. I had to follow that!<BR>> <BR>> The first round, performer's choice, was a display of some fantastic pieces<BR>> of performance that ran the gamut; from a silly poem (Casey at the Crown)<BR>> performed by your humble servant, to beautiful songs in French (Katrina of<BR>> Coventry) and stories and poetry. Everyone stepped up to the line and<BR>> towed it quite handsomely, including those who have never entered an<BR>> Eisteddfod before, or those who hadn't performed in some time. There was no<BR>> need to silence the audience, and many stopped on their way to and fro from<BR>> the hall, to watch as yet another performer took the center and cast their<BR>> spell.<BR>> <BR>> The second round (henceforth known as the Round of Dread, or RoD), was as<BR>> much entertainment from the reaction of the contestants as they drew their<BR>> word/phrase/doom from a small box, with five minutes to come up with a<BR>> performance to match the w/p/d. Once again, performances ranged from the<BR>> merely entertaining (mine) to inspirational, heartwarming, and joyful. This<BR>> round pressed every performer outside of their comfort zone, sometimes by a<BR>> good bit. Duchess Willow sang! A drinking song! That I want to learn! If<BR>> you get the opportunity, ask HL Rhiannon to tell you her great (to the nth)<BR>> grandmother's tale of the origin of Arthur's Round Table. The RoD was<BR>> filled with good cameraderie and much playful teasing by all the<BR>> contestants. I believe that Svan even shed a tear (or that might have been<BR>> because his Ansteorran Shot Glass (tm) was empty). The judges could be<BR>> heard gleefully chortling as each new vict.... er, contestant picked their<BR>> entry from the Box of Doom.<BR>> <BR>> Judging the competition were HL Eleanor O'Rourke, HE Ulf Gunnarson, and HL<BR>> Tigamus Bearbait. These three were set an awful task, to winnow from the<BR>> fine performances and pick the best of the lot for the final round. Not a<BR>> soul in the tent envied them their position as time came to choose the two<BR>> or three contestants. They returned, ready to announce the finalists, but<BR>> first largesse was given to those that had inspired through the day, or<BR>> those that lend inspiration through the course of time and their actions. <BR>> <BR>> The three finalists were announced; Finnaican, Rhiannon, and Darius. Their<BR>> order of performance was Finnaican, Darius, then Rhiannon. Finnaican<BR>> offered up a new anthem, with accompaniment by fine warriors of Ansteorra,<BR>> who performed the chant for the background for his anthem. Darius offered a<BR>> fine poem, bringing some to tears. Rhiannon's offering was a beautiful song<BR>> that she sang from the heart. All fine performances, and once again, the<BR>> judges had to make a hard decision.<BR>> <BR>> I would be remiss in my reporting if I didn't mention the fun that was had.<BR>> The atmosphere was relaxed and playful, with bards having fun. If you<BR>> weren't able to see the judges table you would have thought it merely a<BR>> gathering of bards to perform (an idea I'll talk about in another post). In<BR>> my mind I believe that this was the finest, most fun Eisteddfod that I have<BR>> participated in. The day was filled with song and story, sung and told by<BR>> performers who love their craft and were happy to share. Time was taken to<BR>> rest halfway between the first two rounds as well as between each round, and<BR>> that was filled with music and dancing and song (Sea Chanty's!!!!!). There<BR>> were many smiling faces, laughter, and a general happiness with the world<BR>> despite wind or weather.<BR>> <BR>> Oh! The winner? I had to leave before the winner was announced, but a<BR>> reliable source reports that our new Kingdom Bard of Ansteorra is none other<BR>> than Finnaican. In her words before closing the competition, HL Eleanor<BR>> told the gathered crowd that the level of performance was such that had<BR>> their been a way to parcel the Cloak of State into fifteen pieces she would<BR>> not have had a second thought of handing each contestant a piece. I can<BR>> heartily agree.<BR>> <BR>> My hope? That this will be our future. That Eisteddfod will only grow<BR>> (Maybe have two big tents), and that more of Ansteorra's finest performers<BR>> will be inspired to join in the competition and fun. <BR>> <BR>> Thus ends my report, poor excuse that it be. Others with finer wit and<BR>> loftier words may provide greater detail.<BR>> <BR>> In service to the dream with a song in my heart, I am,<BR>> HL Gerald of Leesville<BR>> A bard of Stargate <BR>> <BR>> _______________________________________________<BR>> Bards mailing list<BR>> Bards@lists.ansteorra.org<BR>> http://lists.ansteorra.org/listinfo.cgi/bards-ansteorra.org<BR><BR><br /><hr />Get free, personalized online radio with MSN Radio powered by Pandora. <a href='http://radio.msn.com' target='_new'>Try it!</a></body>
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