Tag: College

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I Challenge you… to do this online

My Co-Autocrat and I had spend months and months planning the second iteration of the EKCoP Challenge assembly. This was my first time “running” it and I had found a super sweet location. Weeks before, COVID-19 really started to spread into the US and reared it’s ugly head. The plague doctor could truly not contain this one.

My Co-Autocrat and I made the difficult decision to cancel the even. This was not done lightly. However, not only is this spread via respiratory system, singing/vocal arts were known to be the fastest way to spread it.

I wasn’t willing to go down without a fight. I wasn’t willing to let the performing arts community take a blow to one of their only real chances to gather and perform in a low key environment. Then, it hit me! Why not do this online? What were the logistics?

I spoke to my co-autocrat who has been running monthly online practice to see if this was feasible.  It was!

From there we got everything sorted and up and promoted within 5 hours of this idea. Would this work? Would anyone come? Would the delay kill everything? Are we running it like it was run previously? Who knows! here we go!

We eventually settled on a formal of open meet for an hour, classes till 6 and open performances till 10.

Attendance rolled in, every class was attended and well respected.

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Birka # 10

This is my first of double digit events for me. This is starting my 9th year in the society and I am still so very fond of my first event. This was also my partner’s first Birka. I chose not to fence this year as I wanted to focus on him and make sure he got to do everything he wanted at his first Birka.

Our main concerns today were making several deliveries as well as seeing friends of ours receive awards. Also… Fashion show.

Aegir had provided 3 tree of life necklaces to the auction for the incoming reign. I made the matching earrings for them as he wasn’t comfortable to making them. I happily obliged. After finding his 3 delivery recipients and receiving his auction purchase, I had to make my deliveries and receipt. I had donated a 30 minute private performance for the auction, however, this delivery was of another nature.

Last year, I was inducted into the prestigious order of the Silver Brooch. This is the award of arms level of Arts and Sciences awards in the East Kingdom. We decided to do an artisans gift exchange. My recipient wasn’t there, but I delivered hand made trim to her. I finally met up with my gift creator and I was in TEARS with the gift she presented me.

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Music is the only thing that truly keeps me alive. Someone made music for -Me-. After I cried over this masterpiece, I spoke with the artist, Shoshanna Gryffyth, and asked her if we could collaborate. She happily agreed. Not only did this project yield new beautiful art that may not have been created (It inspired art) but it helped me connect with someone I would never had met before.

Next was shopping! I didn’t purchase too much, but I am excited for the newest member of the family.

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Next, the fashion show! This year, at the coronation of Willhelm and Vienna, there was a challenge issued that we would incorporate Marvel and DC heroes and villains. I’m not much of a seamstress, but I wanted to improve my skills. I am a huge fan of Wonder Woman and German garb, so why not.

I just learned how to embroider. This is my 3rd project for embroidery.  Here are a few pictures of the in progress of the embroidery and then the final project.

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This is Aegir and I in our pieces:

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After the fashion show was over, Baronial court was happening. This was the last court of her Excellency Jocelyn Del Espada. I went to support her and my friends who were to be the incoming Baron and Baroness. After the court was over, I went to thank her for all she had done for me personally. What I didn’t expect was the flood of tears that came from me. She touched me a way that few have ever. She was/is a huge advocate of music. She inspired me to compete. She inspired me to be -HER- Bard/champion. Despite everything she experienced in the past 5 years, between the SCA and Mundane, SHE was my Baronessa.

Kingdom court came and it was time to see my friends receive much appreciated awards. This is always an exciting time for me. However, just before court, my friend, Master Lucien approached me. He was supposed to Herald the Boast for now, Master Scamus. However, he had fallen ill and requested that I do this. I was excited and honored to be able to herald in my friend, fencing teacher and mentor. I had only done this once before, but never for a crowd this large. Luckily, Lucien had written up the boast, so all I had to do was be loud.

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My friends Kenneric and Cat received their silver wheels, which I had crafted for the (see previous blog post) and our company escorted them into court. Additionally during court I retained for the princess.

After court was over, my favorite part of Birka was about to begin. I was once again honored to run bardic at Birka for the 4th year in a row. We had about 25-30 folks show. We had everyone from ages 13-??? (old). We heard song, story, poem. We had folks who this was their first event, 90th event and those in between. Everyone performed well. I learned a new story which I can’t wait to try out at winter nights (If Aegir doesn’t steal it from me first). Also, at the end of the night, a new and exciting voice arose. I quickly ran to him to present him with my token and encouraged him to get involved. I filled him in on allll the bardic stuff going on and gave him my information as the EKCoP Deputy Chatelaine.

All in all, this was an amazing Birka. So many emotions.. not a single one bad.

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Mentoring Dartmouth

Give it the good ol’  college try!

After winning Baronial Bard this year, I took is very to heart that I wanted to save and grow the bardic community. It was brought to my attention that we had a college chapter within the Barony at Dartmouth. I was close with Frenya, Estefania and Frostulf, who were serving as advisors to this chapter. I had first gone to meet the group when they were having their own faire/demo for the school. I went to show support and to get some music going. I met several talented musician’s in the group and offered my services.

My second visit to the school included me teaching a class on how to compose a Contrafact (Filk). We did this as a whole class. I had been working on one of my own, “Bow Hemian Rhapsody”. I brought the unfinished product into the class and then, we as a class worked through our own. I started with a popular song that most people in the class new like the back of their hand (No, there was no hair on the song and certainly no dried mustard).

The second class I brought was a master class. This is where a person would bring a piece that is pretty well worked on or in the process of being completed and we work on enhancing it in front of the group. This is a safe setting where you get to perform a piece without interruption and then we slowly and gently pick it apart to make it better.

The first brave soul was a young gentleman singing “When Johnny came home again”. His twist on it was painful and beautiful. When we finished working, everyone expressed they had chills and some had tears in their eyes.

Next, we had a young Harpist. This was an experience for me as I’d never worked with a stationary instrumentalist before. She was certainly skilled but where we could enhance her was in stage presence. We talked about eye contact, body movement and shaping her melodies and how her hands trailed from her harp. She stated that even she felt more connected  to the piece as well.

I made a few more visits up with the students until my reign was over.