Bardic Archives

Performers have a great many opportunities to do their thing this summer!

Ruby Joust – Memorial Day Weekend – Master Richard Wyn, this year’s Kingdom Bard, is hosting a competition for bards!  He requests that each Barony send their Performing Arts or Bardic Champion or a representative for them to come compete. It is scheduled to take place on Sunday. Richard sez: “You will be expected to perform three pieces: a documented period piece ( prior to 1620) , a Historical piece (either SCA or Period), and a performance to inspire others.
YIS,
Master Richard Wyn OL”

Highland River Melees – June 1-3 – http://highland-foorde.atlantia.sca.org/hrmelees/ans.php  In the Barony of Highland Foorde, Baroness Lanea verch Kerrigan will host Bardics! Specifically, bardics in the style of Bardic Madness! See here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NLxHgppcTzW0g0Y-ZgD-6hs78DgdPPiIIiH3wT3sNgw/edit 

Storytelling and Bardic Workshop – June 9 – http://atlantia.sca.org/137-events/167-event-flyer?event_id=3d5d23f0   The Barony of Nottinghil Cuil hosts this interactive workshop for story tellers, poets, and others interested in the bardic arts. Whether you are already performing, or are interested in giving it a try, come and learn and exchange ideas.

Summer University – June 16 – https://university.atlantia.sca.org/  The Barony of Black Diamond hosts an amazing 99th session of the Atlantia University with a TON of great music, dance, theater, and other performing classes! When the catalog is released in a few days, check it out!

Novice and Unbelt Tourney – June 23 – http://atlantia.sca.org/137-events/167-event-flyer?event_id=e73f06c1 Barony of Storvik. There will be a special Performers’ Pavilion with shade and drinks for all! Hosted by Mistress Fevronia and Master Igor. <3

Return to Crecy – June 22-24 – http://www.returntocrecy.com/ Sir Axel said: “Sat night will again be the Fete de Rue. We are still looking for performers. So, if you are interested, please drop me a line so I can schedule your stage time we are looking at 10-15 minutes sets. (music, song, poetry, story telling, juggling, etc.)”

Performers’ Revel South – June 30 – http://windmastershill.org/calendar/events/performers-revel-south/  The Canton of Elvegast again brings you a day full of JUST PERFORMING! A mildly structured day of relaxing, some workshops, and lot of playing!

King’s Assessments – July 6-8 – http://www.black-diamond.atlantia.sca.org/assessments/   Something fun always happens in the realms of bardic and dance in Black Diamond!

And that brings us to Pennsic!  If you need any help finding your way around Pennsic as a Performer, you can always ask this year’s new Dean of Performing Arts, Lady Scholastica Joycours!

 

Have fun performing this summer!!

Atlantia’s Twelfth Night event is again overflowing with amazing opportunities to enjoy the Performing Arts!

The Magnificent Lady Jeane Kilmeny has organized an embarrassment of riches for both performers looking to perform and audience looking to relax and be entertained.  If you have questions, please contact Lady Kilmeny via facebook by posting on the Atlantia Bards and Performers group at this link:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/BardsandPerformers/  If you wish to post a comment on this blog post, your question will be forwarded to Kilmeny.

The reveling begins this Friday night!

  • Friday night bardic circle: starting 8:00pm in the Hunt Room
  • Shakespeare Performance of selected scenes from Twelfth Night by i Firenzi: 11:30-12:30
  • Commedia Performance of “The Mystery of the Doge’s Swan” by i Firenzi at 4:15pm
  • Dance Band Rehearsal:
11:15am (after morning court) to 1:00pm, in the James Madison room
Dance band performing for dance classes, possibly 2:30-4:00pm.
Ball dance music list with links to the sheet music and recordings of Mistress Azza playing the tunes is available at this Google doc:
  • Dance Classes:
11:00am – 4:00pm in the dance area of the main ballroom hosted by Baron Stefan of Cambion and Baroness Evelynn Merrymet
At 3:00 in the dance room the Atlantian Academie of Dance will be filming the following dances from the ball music:
  1. Gathering Peascods
  2. Gracca Amoroso
  3. New Yer
  4. Rawty
  5. Grene Gynger
It would be awesome to have any musicians that could spare some time so that they can have a wonderful recording to help teach these dances! See you all there!
[[The above dance list, and info on dances being taped, was provided by Lady Rhiannon of Raven’s Cove, the event Dance Mistress.]]
  • Royal Bard Competition: 
Round 1: 11:30am at the Amphitheater (aka: auditorium)
Round 2: 2:00pm, at the Amphitheater (aka: auditorium)
Round 3: during Feast
Guidelines for the Royal Bard competition are posted on the event web site under “Competitions” and also here:
“The competition will be comprised of three rounds.
The guidelines for the competition are as follows:The first and second round should focus on performance of pieces in different modes: if a story is performed in the first round, the bard should perform a song, instrumental piece, poem, etc. for the second round. One of the pieces performed in the first two rounds must be period, documentation should be provided. Extra consideration shall be given to bards who perform original compositions in addition to the period piece.Those bards who are selected for the final round shall perform for Their Majesties and the populace during feast. The only rule for this round is for the bard to perform to their strengths.Questions concerning the competition, appropriate pieces, etc., may be directed to Lady Harper An Cu royalbard [AT] atlantia.sca.org”
  • Dancing, Main Hall, after Feast (hopefully starting ~7:00pm)
Baron Stefan de Cambion, our Dance Master, will be leading dance after feast. Music will be provided by the Atlantian Dance Band (led by Lady Rhiannon of Raven’s Cove).
  • An evening bardic circle will be held on Saturday night in the Amphitheatre, hosted by Mistress Dervila, starting at 8:00pm
(We are not allowed to bring outside food or drink for hospitality into this room. However, there will be food and drink available for sale in that area until 11pm.)
Just in case, here is the event’s web site if you need more general event info: http://www.twelfthnight.atlantia.sca.org/
Happy Twelfth Night to All!
Sincerely yours,
Baroness Sophia the Orange
Guildmistress, Atlantia Performing Arts Guild

The Performing Arts community achieved new heights at this year’s Twelfth Night event in the Barony of Sacred Stone! Peruse the pictures below and watch out for these gentles in the coming months if you want to come join in the fun!
1) European Dance! Sacred Stone’s own Lady Elizabeth of Northumberland led the dancing with excellent teamwork and support from Lady Nicolosa d’ Isenfir, our Royal Player in Dance. These two ladies brought dance education and graceful leadership to the event such that over 50 people got to enjoy the noble art of dance at the evening ball.

 

2) The dancing was supported by skillful and joyful efforts of Mistress Azza and the pick-up dance band under her direction! Ten instrumentalists followed Azza’s fearless direction and organization to produce high energy, live dance music deep into the night. Mistress Azza also serves as a Royal Player and will be producing live pickup bands at more events in the future. Watch for her at Ymir!

3) Our Royal Player in Theater, Lady Meriorie Matheson, produced an enlightening competition for actors to present their favorite Shakespeare pieces! Nine actors presented a wide variety of scenes from The Bard. The winner of the competition was a pair of amazing actors, Lady Machteld Cleine and an SCA newcomer, Cody, portraying Benedict and Beatrice from Much Ado About Nothing. See the video clip of their scene here:  https://www.facebook.com/Lara.Coutinho.Orange/videos/1877274525623126/?l=6072083277919904046

It’s one of the most excellent pieces of theater I’ve seen at an SCA event in years! These still pics are of some of the other excellent monologues.

  

 

    

4) One of Sacred Stone’s multi-talented performers, Lord Akiyama Kazuhiko, took on the great challenge of producing the Twelfth Night Murder Mystery play… and it was a hoot! The cast was talented and engaging as they kept us laughing and guessing at the causes of sudden death all day.

 

5) The Royal Bard competition proceeded per tradition at Twelfth Night with a long list of talented participants. Royal Bards for 2016, Lord Gideon ap Stephan and Master Ruaidhri an Cu, presented three brilliant performers to Their Majesties for the final competition during feast that night. Despite the most extremely challenging conditions of noise and interruptions in the feast hall, all three competitors, Lord Hakon Erfikvaethiskald, Harper an Cu, and Lord Richard Wyn, proved worthy of the position. The young lady Harper An Cu finished the evening with the title of Royal Bard!

6) The Rotunda, the circular area between the staircase and hall of art, hosted a non-stop stream of performers bringing music to the people throughout the day. Performers in the Rotunda included: Lord Johann von Solothurn, Cornelia Caeciliana, Baroness Margaret Cochrane, Baroness Morgan Wolfsinger, and the amazingly talented instrumental group Lillies Among Thorns!

7) The lunchtime tavern also brought some musical thrills when “Painted Wheel” band took the stage and kept the lunch patrons entertained!

8) Laughter brought the event to new heights with i Firenzi’s performance of Italian, 16th Century, improvised comic Commedia dell’ Arte in the afternoon’s play “Arlecchino of La Mancha!” The premier of this play included many new commedia actors enjoying their first performance. We were blessed by the presence and service of a silent herald who interpreted the whole improvised show into sign language! A special moment was also brought to us when the final scene was interrupted (with permission of the director) by Their Excellencies of Windmasters’ Hill bringing an award to one of our actors in the name of TRMs. Lord Jaume de Monco was honored with an Award of the Coral Branch for his many artistic talents including acting, stage magic, bardic performance, and brewing. See the video of the whole play and Jaume’s honoring here:  https://youtu.be/MKedlRJ-VwQ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twelfth Night again brought too much fun to cram into one day! Many thanks to the event’s Autocrat, Baroness Caitlin Macdonoughue for her tireless efforts at organizing and providing event space for the Performing Arts Community to enjoy their arts!

Performing Arts Schedule for Twelfth Night is here!

The holiday season brings a joyous occasion for our kingdom to gather in friendship and celebration of our many blessings! Many of us will enjoy the kingdom’s Twelfth Night event on January 14th, 2017 in Greensboro, NC: http://www.twelfthnight.atlantia.sca.org/

Performers and those who enjoy being an audience will revel in an embarrassment of riches at Twelfth Night! See the schedule of Performing Arts Activities below, and don’t hesitate to contact the Performing Arts Coordinator, Lady Sophia the Orange via orangesophie AT gmail DOT com for more information.

  • 10:00am
    • Dance class begins in the Grand Salon 2 (Performing Arts area upstairs middle section of Ballroom)
Our Twelfth Night Dance Leader is Lady Elizabeth of Northumberland with support from our Royal Player in DanceLady Nicolosa d’Isenfir. They will be able to teach you many dances, likely even if you have one to request that is not previously published on the evening’s dance list.
During morning court, attendees will witness the beginning act of the Twelfth Night Murder Mystery.
  • 12:00noon
    • Royal Bard competition Round 1 begins downstairs in the el Salon de Baile (Ballroom-the end of the hall with head table) run by Master Ruaidhri an Cu and Lord Gideon ap Stephan, Royal Bards of 2016.
Royal Bard’s announcement text:
“My Lords and Ladies, Most Worthy Peers, and dearest cousins, Once more the time has come to select those who will serve as Royal Bards for Their Majesties and Their successors. At the celebration of Twelfth Night a competition will be held and Lord Gideon, the Bard of the South, and I encourage all bards to come and compete. The competition will be comprised of three rounds.
In the first and second round competitors should perform pieces in different modes. For example, if a story is performed in the first round, the bard should perform a song, instrumental piece, poem, or some-such for the second round. One of the pieces performed in the first two rounds must be period, documentation should be provided. Please limit pieces to five minutes. Extra consideration shall be given to bards who perform original compositions in addition to the period piece.Those bards who are selected for the final round shall perform for Their Majesties and the populace during feast. Pieces should be limited to eight minutes. Should you have any questions, concerning the competition, appropriate pieces, etc., please feel free to contact me.
Your servant, if you would have me,
Olaugh Ruaidhri an Cu (Bard of the North) Email: ruaidhriancu@gmail.com Phone: (301)570-9434 Facebook: Ruaidhri an Cu”
Mini-Concerts run from end of morning court (~12:30pm) until the beginning of afternoon court (5:00pm).
  • 1:00pm
    • Act 2 of the Murder Mystery begins in the Grand Salon 2 (Performing Arts area upstairs middle section of Ballroom)
  • 2:00pm
    • Shakespearean Recitation Competition begins in la Rotanda. This competition is brought to you by our Royal Player in Theater, Lady Meriorie Matheson. Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-I8MzWumXriZnp7mSwj9W0XNciqinEEWHKg2fR1ortA/edit?usp=sharing  SIGN UP AT THIS LINK! THIS IS WHERE YOU SIGN UP FOR PERFORMANCE SLOTS!
      • Description of Shakespeare Competition: Friends, Atlantians, countrymen, lend me your ears! As Twelfth night is a time of frolics and festivities, we must partake in one of the most beloved entertainments of the middle ages – theater. I challenge Atlantia to bring me your best performances of a monologue from any of Shakespeare’s contemporaries, or the Bard himself. A prize for the best performance! And as Tudor theater was memorized quickly for more performances, extra prizes for anyone who’s off-book! So everyone has a chance to participate, try to keep monologues around 5 minutes in length.
    • Dance Class #2 begins in the Grand Salon 2 (Performing Arts area upstairs middle section of Ballroom)
    • Dance Band Rehearsal begins downstairs in the el Salon de Baile (Ballroom-the end of the hall with head table) The Twelfth Night Dance Band is a pick up band brought together for one day under the fearless and skilled direction of our Royal Player in Music, Mistress Azza. Any instrumentalist is welcome to join in the band.
Here is the link for the google doc with the play list and links to downloadable music: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YeM3VdOfQ1qvh-aR8lzYk4KwrJk8j_w2-y6OJF8Fryo/edit#gid=0
  • 2:30pm
    • Act 3 of the Murder Mystery begins in the Tavern
  •  3:00pm
    • Royal Bard competition Round 2 begins in Grand Salon 2 (Performing Arts area upstairs middle section of Ballroom)
    • At 3:00pm in the Throne Section of the Ballroom, there will be a “Garb Runway Challenge” hosted by the Clothiers Guild. The organizer of the event has asked for musicians to play some background music while the entrants proceed down the runway. Musicians can contact Lord Johann von Solothurn for more information. If you don’t know how to catch Johann, please direct questions to Sophia the Orange.
  • 4:00pm
    • Commedia dell’arte performance by i Firenzi of “Arlecchino of La Mancha” in the Sala del trono (throne room). Set up your seats early before court to hear the true story of how Don Quixote really went mad back in La Mancha! If you don’t know what Commedia dell’ Arte is yet, start at the troupe’s web page: http://ifirenzi.com 
  • 5:00pm
    • Their Atlantian Majesties’ Evening Court begins in the Sala del Trono (throne room)
  • 8:00pm
    • The La Danza de Oro (the Dance of Gold) begins in the upstairs Grand Salon 3

WoW Performing Arts 2016 – simplified!

War of the Wings is a huge event, and with that comes more opportunities for Performing Arts! And there are so many opportunities to get confused… so let me sum up…

 

Thursday:

Dance Band Practice 2:00 – 4:00pm in the Castle: If you told the dance band leader, Mistress Azza, that you’re coming, great! If you didn’t, show up anyway, and look here for the sheet music (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kq9aaWUo-i7S3LOrfn7qFCsVPn1rapWMh1iJOyEMHIk/edit?usp=sharing Most of it is from the Pennsic Pile #45 but some is from Eric Praetzel’s Dance Music Database). Print out and bring your own copies if you can, but show up even if you can’t bc Azza has some extra copies!

Friday:

European Dance classes throughout the day – check the site book for details!

Improvisation Skills Class 12:00 – 1:00pm: Improv theater games/training to help anyone live in persona or have better conversations at SCA events.

Bard of the People Competition 1:00 – 3:00pm: Any material welcome. Peoples’ choice for the winner!

Dance Band Practice 2:00 – 4:00pm in the Castle: same as Thursday.

Bardic Madness by the Sea 3:00 – 4:00pm: Bardic Challenges for everyone! You will most likely create the material you perform within this hour of bardic fun!

Who’s Line Doth It Be Anyway SHOW! 4:00 – 5:00pm: Anyone with the daring to do improv games is welcome to perform them, and anyone who wants to watch should come be the audience! Laughs guaranteed!

Childrens’ Ball for European Dance 7:00 – 9:00pm: Dancing focused on kids in the Castle!

Pirate Ball for European Dance 9:00-11:00pm: European dancing with a piratical theme and live dance band in the Castle!

Bardic Smackdown Competition 9:00pm start in the marketplace: This is the war-point competition for bards, and Their Excellencies have asked 8 bards to compete in tourney fashion with the Kingdom MOL keeping order.

Commedia dell’ Arte show by i Firenzi for ADULTS ONLY! We break out some period-but-not-family –friendly material for this annual “Naughty Show” which really starts at 10:00pm in Vingolf Hall regardless of what’s printed in the event book or on the web page. If you are under 18 years of age and want to see the show, bring your parent and have a deeply honest talk with the i Firenzi director, Sophia the Orange, about the adult content in the show. After complete and mature consideration, it’s your parent’s choice to let you watch or not. NO PHOTOGRAPHY OR VIDEOGRAPHY IS ALLOWED!

Saturday:

Intro to Commedia dell’ Arte class 11:00 – 12:00noon: Commedia dell’ Arte basics intended to prepare you for participation in Iron Commedia.

Iron Commedia Rehearsal 12:00 – 3:00pm:  Pull together a commedia scenario and perform it in the hour before court! Anyone is welcome to join the cast regardless of experience level, but you must commit to staying in rehearsal the entire time from 12:00 – 3:00 then the show goes on at 3:15pm!

Iron Commedia SHOW 3:15pm: Iron Commedia cast members put on the show they just invented in the hour before court!  Bring your chairs and set up for court early and be entertained with period comedy!

Musical Instrument Petting Zoo with Lord Gawain de Barri 2:00 – 4:00pm in the Castle!

There’s also a Music Solar in Tent #5 every day from 9:00 – 4:00pm!

The Raven’s Cove camp is sponsoring a Middle Eastern dancing Hofla starting at 8:00pm!

THE BIG CLIMAX of the event is the Spectacular Performance Expo starting at 8:00pm in Vingolf Hall! If you want to perform and have not yet signed up with Master Efenwealt, just show up or find him at his merchant booth – Camelot Treasures – and ask for a time slot!  ELEVEN of the kingdom’s best performers have already signed up to entertain you and bring you the best celebration ending ever!

Check out the War of the Wings web page Performing Arts section here: http://warofthewings.com/performing_arts.html

and the whole schedule here: http://warofthewings.com/schedule.html

But by all means… CHECK AT TROLL FOR CHANGES TO THE SCHEDULE!!!

And bring your comfy chair so you can sit back and be entertained by the most fun opportunities for Performing Arts you’ve ever seen in Atlantia!

Song Lyrics & Tunes for Atlantia at Pennsic

Pennsic has many opportunities to sing and get your bardic on! But you’ve got to prepare!

Her Majesty Thora is a big fan of sing-a-longs, so here is a set of links for you to prepare, print lyric sheets, and listen to someone sing the tune for some classics loved by many.  At least some of these will be sung at the Atlantian Queen’s Bardic Circle at Atlantia Royal Camp on middle Sunday starting at 8:00pm!

These tunes are recommended by Very Experienced Performers as highly likely to rouse the Pennsic spirit for Altlantians!  Use these links to find the recordings to learn the tunes by ear and the lyrics for you to print out and bring with you to bardic circles:

Fair Lady Atlantia by Master Efenwealt Wystle / Scott Vaughan
Lyrics & chords – (new version with Raven’s Cove) http://camelot-treasures.com/music/efenwealt/Minstrel/FairLadyAtlantia.pdf
Audio (new version) – https://blibberinghumdingers.bandcamp.com/track/fair-lady-atlantia-ravens-cove-remix

Audio (old version) – https://blibberinghumdingers.bandcamp.com/track/fair-lady-atlantia-1990s-version
You Tube – (old version) https://youtu.be/BQNxiHZhGF0

 

Argent and Azure by Lady Ambra / Samantha Moore
Lyrics & chords – http://www.hartshavenmusic.com/HHSiteLoad/Ambra/Songs/AAA.htm
Audio – https://youtu.be/V3rSSVWg4d0

Band of Brothers by Sir Kenneth MacQuarrie of Tobermory / Ken Theriot
Lyrics – http://www.ravenboymusic.com/Lyrics/HumanHistorylyrics.doc
Audio – https://youtu.be/1Ct5749N4RM

Parting Glass – Traditional Irish
Lyrics: http://www.ireland-information.com/irishmusic/partingglass.shtml
Audio: https://youtu.be/qgboqZNduF0

The Song of Love aka Rosalind’s Bawdy Ballad
Lyrics: http://www.rosalindjehanne.com/linked/the_song_of_love.pdf
Audio: https://youtu.be/px8PJsUSV8A

— Song of the Waves by Steve Shell/ Gideon ap Stephen
Lyrics: see below
Audio: https://youtu.be/-DhgTp5MAWY

Lyrics to Song of the Waves:

Heave ho, away we go
Rowin’ faster, rowin’ faster
Heave ho, away we go
Atlantia sails to war.

Our King sets eyes on foreign fields
To ever stand and never yield
To bend their knees and break their shields
This day we sail to war

Heave ho, away we go
Rowin’ faster, rowin’ faster
Heave ho, away we go
Atlantia to war.

With Azure Banners now unfurled
Our Thanes take up the challenge hurled
And we prepare to leave this world
Our King must have his War

Heave ho, away we go
Rowin’ faster, rowin’ faster
Heave ho,away we go
Atlantia sails to war.

Longships piled deep and wide
We ride the waves from side to side
No shore can stand or stem the tide
Of Atlantia at War

Heave ho, away we go
Rowin’ faster, rowin’ faster
Heave ho, away we go
Atlantia to war.

Warriors of the Salt and Stone
At battle’s end we stand alone
Upon this field of blood and bone
Our King commands this War

Heave ho, away we go
Rowin’ faster, rowin’ faster
Heave ho, away we go
Atlantia to war.
Lord Odin guide us ‘cross the sea
To fulfill this destiny
Into the arms of Valkyries
Allfather bless this war

Heave ho, away we go
Rowin’ faster, rowin’ faster
Heave ho, away we go
Atlantia to war.

Join voices with the raven’s cry
Swear one last oath to sea and sky
Valhalla’s gates are swinging wide
We’ll see you at the War.

Heave ho, away we go
Rowin’ faster, rowin’ faster
Heave ho, away we go
Atlantia to war.

 

Videos of Performances at KASF 2016!

The Atlantia Kingdom Art and Sciences Festival 2016 hosted an amazing extravaganza for Performing Arts!  No less than 26 performers showed the populace of Atlantia a Demo Hour of the many ways Performing Arts shows up in the SCA, and the hour before that was filled with impressive performances from groups and soloists!

This link takes you to the video recording of the Demo Hour of Performing Arts: https://youtu.be/8NYrd9kS7Ww
This link takes you to the video recording of the open sign-ups hour we had for all performers right before the Demo Hour: https://youtu.be/6ifUTJwEEFI

More recordings of the Commedia dell’ Arte mini-class/demo and the period scenario presented by i Firenzi are coming soon!
Many thanks to Lord Manus MacDhai for processing these videos and making them available to us all!

Thanks also to Mistress Ceridwen ferch Owain for helping us organize this extravaganza at KASF!

–Lady Sophia the Orange, Kingdom MOAS Deputy for Performing Arts

The next Atlantia Performing Arts Guild Meeting & Conference Call will be held at Atlantia University on June 11, 2016 from 12:30pm to 1:30pm. This is during the lunch time of Atlantia University, and the members gathered at University will hopefully get their lunch and find a quiet corner to eat lunch and gather around Sophie’s laptop to share the web cam and conference call using the Zoom.us online conference room.  Please join us using the log in information below.  You can also call in from a regular phone with the phone number below:

 

Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://zoom.us/j/339633783

Or iPhone one-tap (US Toll): 14086380968,339633783# or 16465588656,339633783#

Or Telephone:
Dial: +1 408 638 0968 (US Toll) or +1 646 558 8656 (US Toll)
Meeting ID: 339 633 783

The Meeting will include discussion on the following topics:

Status Update of Ongoing Projects:

  1. Creation of Best Practices list for Bardic Circles by Johann and Richard
  2. Creation of Best Practices list for Competitions by Scholastica and Reynsa
  3. Use of the Googlegroup is growing constantly! We’re up to 74 members!

Status of recruiting:

  1. Lord Jaume de Monco is our Guild liaison for Atlantia University for Fall and Winter. Many thanks to Vrowe Machteld for organizing our 2.5 Performing Arts Tracks for this Summer University!
  2. Mistress Dervila has accepted the position for Librarian! She is working with our WordPress blog to build in the right plugin to allow people to upload documents and other files like MP3s to share and keep organized. This is an ongoing effort, so we will use the Google Shared Drive as an interim solution.
    1. THIS is the link for the Google Shared Drive for our Guild:  https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B-ta6p8JkuHPOVc0Tk0tellxcEU&usp=sharing

Special Projects:

  • Ladies of the Rose song, poetry, and other performance event for new, Golden Rose inspired event
    • Ideas for this concept should be posted to the Guild email list “atlantiaperformingartsguild AT googlegroups DOT com”
    • Queen Thora expressed interest in what we could propose to her. Her reign only lasts so long, so get your ideas moving and we might be able to create something!
  • We need heraldry for the Guild – and a graphic for it! The graphic should be the size of an avatar for Facebook.
  • Performing Arts Demo Hour at Kingdom A&S Festival was AWESOME!  And the video is now up at:  https://youtu.be/8NYrd9kS7Ww  Many thanks to Manus MacDhai for proessing the video!
  • Another hour of video from KASF is also available (Thanks again Manus!) for the many performers who demonstrated their performing prowess before the Demo Hour at KASF!!!  Here’s the link to that video:  https://youtu.be/6ifUTJwEEFI
  • War of the Wings has a new Performing Arts Coordinator: Lord Akiyama Kazuhiko!  (“Sata Prescott” on Facebook)  He is seeking your ideas on what he can organize for you at WOW and offers also this sign up sheet for teaching classes:  http://goo.gl/forms/WFBuy3XU6gdJQE7k1  

Want to express an opinion or tell everyone what you want? Go for it!  You’re welcome to say so at the Guild meeting or post an email to the email list!

Keep in touch!

–Lady Sophia the Orange, Atlantia Performing Arts Guild Guildmistress and Kingdom MOAS Deputy for Performing Arts

 

The Atlantia Performing Arts Guild held a meeting at the Tournament of Ymir in the Barony of Windmasters’ Hill on February 27, 2016 from 11:00 – 12:00am in the Great Hall.

Attendees included:

  • Lady Evelynne Merrymet
  • Mistress Azza al Shirazi
  • Aplin ap Daffyd
  • Mistress Dervila Ni Leanon
  • Mistress Rosalind Jehanne
  • Eoin MacEadbhaird
  • Lady Sophia the Orange

Topics covered included:

  1. Ongoing Projects:

    1. Bardic Circles Best Practices – lead by Lord Johann von Solothurn and Lord Richard Wyn
    2. Performing Arts Competitions Best Practices – lead by Lady Scholastica Joycours and milady Reynsa Keyferin
    3. Troubleshooting group – lead by our two Kingdom Bards, Master Ruaidhri an Cu and Lord Gideon ap Stephen
    4. Online Resources for Sharing:  This one went into some detail….
      1. We have the Atlantia Performing Arts Blog here: https://perform.atlantia.sca.org/
        1. This includes a page for handy links to bardic and other performing resources recently re-organized by our friend Catarina di Paulo / Shannon Hamilton.
        2. This includes pages for: Kingdom Noteables, Performer’s Directory, Performing Groups, a separate page for the Guild, and more tidbits.
      2. Mistress Dervila is working on creating a library on this blog. It’s built with WordPress, so it’s really a Content Management System – one that Dervila has some experience with.
      3. While Dervila is working on that library, we will use a new Google Drive shared with the Google Group email list for the Guild. That means that if you’re email address is on the Google Group email list for the Guild, you have access to that shared drive on Google Drive.
        1. This allows us to share documents and resources immediately and,
        2. this allows us to see what files people want to share and what categories they settle out into before Dervila launches the new library. The categories we actually end up using over the next few months will be the ones we start with in the new library.
        3. The link for the Google Drive is here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-ta6p8JkuHPOVc0Tk0tellxcEU
        4. The link for the Google Group email list is here (if you’re not already on it):  https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!forum/atlantiaperformingartsguild 
    5. Guild jobs
      1. The position of University of Atlantia Liaison for the Guild is being shared this year between Lady Machteld Cleine and Lord Jaume de Monco.  Machteld will handle organizing classes for Performing Arts for the Summer University session and Jaume will handle organizing classes for the Fall University session.
        1. When you’re ready to submit your classes for Summer University, please send email to Machteld first. She’s going to ensure that certain basic performing skills classes get taught for sure and that other classes for certain audiences don’t conflict (like having two commedia classes in the same hour slot). Jaume will follow in the Fall.
      2. Mistress Dervila is holding the position of our Librarian, but she and I can both use some help from folks who are savvy to Google and WordPress resources.
        1. Lord Kazuhiko and Harper an Cu both volunteered to pitch in on that after this Spring semester is over.
        2. More help is welcome!
      3. I’m still looking for a Point of Contact for every single SCA group in Atlantia. Some groups have a “Bardic Champion” or “Performing Arts Champion” but most don’t.  If you’re willing to step up as a Point of Contact for your local SCA group as the “person who knows something about Performing Arts and maybe how to get ahold of that crazy Guild”, please let me know!
  2. New Projects

    1. Lady Teleri the Well Prepared has started working with our very music-friendly Princess of Atlantia as a “Royal Entertainment Coordinator.” (That’s a draft job title.)  I did this job for Amos and Isabella during their reign, and it was rather successful at creating more performing arts activities at Royal Progress events.  Since there is a great deal of administrative legwork involved in creating Performing Arts activities that work seamlessly and smoothly with Royal Progress events, having a person on the Royal Staff that handles all that email and planning ahead is extremely helpful.
      1. We all predict that our two Kingdom Bards and Teleri will all work as a team when the opportunity presents itself to make more and better Performing Arts opportunities happen at Royal Progress events.
    2. Dance Band Musicians
      1. Lady Evelynne Merrymet expressed a deep desire to have live musicians at dance practices.  Mistress Azza concurred with this given her deep enjoyment of playing live music for dancers.
        1. I strongly recommend using the Pennsic Pile sheet music if you’re a musician playing for dancing because the copyright in versions since Pennsic 42 have been cleared to allow for use at SCA events AND the sheet music is arranged for the correct repeat structure for all the dances as they’re danced at Pennsic.
        2. Other sheet music resources exist, but respect of copyright is important, so please check the copyright before you run sheet music through a copier.
        3. Get the Pennsic Pile in PDF download here:  http://pennsicdance.aands.org/pennsic44/PennsicPile44.pdf
    3. Pictures of Performers for the Roster
      1. Mistress Dervila has a method to create a page on the Performing Arts blog that can serve as a directory that INCLUDES PICTURES! This has been a technological struggle for me. I’ve set up text only rosters for folks to submit their data on what they perform and who they are, but I have not been able to easily create a roster with pictures. Now that Dervila has a way to do it, we can now fill our roster with pictures!
      2. Please be prepared to send in pictures once we find the best place to put them before Dervila’s ready with the new directory.
    4. Performing Arts Groups
      1. I need help fleshing out the content pages for Performing Arts Groups on the blog. I need help gathering info on the following groups:
        1. Ladies Fair singing group
        2. Ponte Alto Singers
        3. PAGE
      2. If anyone’s willing to write up a blog post on any one of these groups, or any MORE groups you’re aware of – please let me know!!
    5. Guild Heraldry and Online Graphics help needed
      1. The Kingdom MOAS wants us to nail down some heraldry for the Guild. We also need some better graphics for the blog.
      2. Eoin Mac Edhbaird volunteered to help in this, and if there are other herald & graphics folks interested in helping, please pipe up! We may need a committee for this.

The next meeting of the Guild is TBD. It will be after Gulf Wars for sure!!

Thank you all for pitching in to the Atlantia Performing Arts Guild!

–Lady Sophia the Orange, Guildmistress and Kingdom MOAS Deputy for Performing Arts

 

The competition to select the next Kingdom Bard will take place at the Kingdom Twelfth Night event on January 9, 2016. The letter below was published by our current Kingdom Bard, the Magnificent Lord Johann von Solothurn. Make note that anyone wishing to compete for the position of Kingdom Bard must submit a letter of intent to Lord Johann, and his deadline was published as December 18th.  If you are considering competing, have not yet submitted a letter of intent, and would like to have more time to consider taking on this significant position, please email Lord Johann to express your concern and he might extend the deadline.  (Keeping the bar as high as he and Lady Scholastica have raised it is a task worthy of some other magnificent performers in our Kingdom, and worth taking serious time to consider.)

Please read and make note of Lord Johann’s email address and directions below, and Bona Fortuna to any performers ready to step up and compete for this position!

Lady Sophia the Orange, Kingdom MOAS Deputy for Performing Arts

Letter text from Lord Johann von Solothurn:

Greetings!  I am Johann von Solothurn, currently serving as Royal Bard of fair Atlantia.  I wish you all a joyous and music-filled holiday season!  As I near the end of my tenure as Royal Bard, I will be attending Yule Toy Tourney and Twelfth Night, and hope to see many of you around bardic circles and entering the bardic competitions at those events.
 At Yule Toy Tourney, I will be hosting a bardic bear pit competition.  The cost of entry in the competition is one toy per entrant.  The toys collected at the event will be donated to Country Santa, a Program that collects toys for needy children across upstate South Carolina.  Bring your bardic weapons (songs, stories, poems) and prepare to have fun while you do battle with your fellow bards!  Bonus points will be awarded for period pieces and original compositions.  Time permitting, there will be three rounds of head to head bardic combat.  Don’t forget your bard book!  The bard with the most points (wins) will win the day – and the prize!
At Twelfth Night, a new Royal Bard will be chosen from among Atlantia’s many talented and skilled bards.  I hope many of you will choose to compete for the mantle of Royal Bard.
Their Royal Majesties are now accepting letters of intent from those who wish to enter the Royal Bard competition.  If you would accept the challenge and compete for the title of Royal Bard, please send your letter of intent to me at  RoyalBard@atlantia.sca.org  by December 18.
Per the Atlantian Great Book of Laws, the Royal Bard is chosen for excellence in the individual performance of any of the following fields:  singing, instrumental music, poetic rendition, or storytelling.  The Royal Bard is encouraged to be proficient in at least two of these fields.
Kingdom Royal Notables are expected to encourage the disciplines for which they are selected.  Suggested goals and duties for the Royal Bard include:  1) services to the Crown as Their bard, 2) sponsoring at least two bardic competitions during their tenure, including the Royal Bard competition to select a successor, 3) work with Branch Officers to encourage the growth of the bardic arts, 4) teaching in such venues as are available and reasonable.  The tenure of the Royal Bard is one year.
The Royal Bard competition will consist of a minimum of two rounds.  For the first round, bring a period piece (song, story, instrumental, or poem) with documentation.  For the second round, bring an original composition (SCA-themed or Period-themed) with documentation.  At Her Majesty’s whim, a third round may be required, and will be announced during the competition.
It has been an honor to serve the Kingdom as Royal Bard for the past year.  The position of Royal Bard has been a more gratifying role than I ever imagined it could be.  I cherish the new friends and memories made while promoting the bardic arts across Atlantia, and I look forward to seeing what our new Royal Bard will bring to the position.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions you  have concerning the position of Royal Bard.  I look forward to hearing my fellow bards compete at Twelfth Night!
Yours in Song and Service,
Lord Johann von Solothurn
Royal Bard of Atlantia
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