Tag: Harvest

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Harvest Moon

When the moon hits your eye, like a big pizza pie!

It was time for me to get off my throne and I don’t mean the porcelain kind.  I had the honor of running and judging this years Provincial Bard competition for Malagentia. From the few years I have been entering competitions for Bardic, I learned what I wanted and didn’t want in a local competition. I had been working to build a bardic community wherever I go because my heart aches when I hear people say, “I’m not good enough… I can’t follow HER…. Bardic is hard. This does not make a safe environment for performers. It’s hard enough to get up in front of folks, especially when you never did it professionally or even semi professionally.

This year I made a rubric. It included the following categories:

Were you prepared?

Did you perform well?

Can you be heard?

How well did you know your piece?

Did you fit the theme?

Did the audience enjoy your piece?

Did you provide documentation?

How detailed was your documentation?

I also had a theme “Home is where the hearth is”. I figured it would be a nice and creative way to see how the competitors would deal with it.  Also,  how they would introduce their pieces and explain how their piece fit into the theme. In addition, the competitors would perform 2 pieces in contrasting styles, 1 piece must be period and documentation is required. This would tie into the SCA as but leave enough leniency that it would be fun.

Before the performances began, our Senechal (Who was one of the 3 additional judges I had asked to help with the judging) interjected for a moment. I couldn’t imagine what she needed to announce, but who was I to say no to this amazing lady. I was bestowed the very first provincial honor for Arts and Sciences for my work in the Bardic field. I was surprised and honored to receive… well, this honor! It was only the very first because I needed to leave early to head to a wedding so I was not able to attend the closing ceremonies where it should have been awarded.

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On to the performances! We had 4 incredible performers. All of them were not only incredible performers in all their own ways, but they were also all skilled in a martial activity as well. There were two heavy combat fighters and 2 fencers. I am proud to say I have fought and fenced with each of them. On top of these skilled performers, we had an exceptional young lady perform to compete for the youth bard.  I had decided this year to include this category. I find that we cannot support the arts just as adults, we need to hone their skills at an early age. It’s true what they say, the youth are our future.

The deliberating was difficult. Each was unique and powerful. I was blessed to have the judges I had picked along side me to help me pick. I didn’t want anyone to feel like they weren’t good enough. I had asked each of the judges to talk to all of the individuals privately and provide feedback. I didn’t want critiques, I wanted positive reinforcement. One of the largest lessons I have been learning in life is that you never provide unwarranted feedback or feedback that wasn’t asked for be the individual. I sent my words with the other judges and I also reached out to each of them after to let them know where their strong points were and encouraged them to keep shining like the jewels they are. Though, if someone told me that I’d reply, “ I’m volcanic ash! I don’t shine”

Bards. Keep being you!

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Harvest Moon 2016

By the light of the silvery moon!

Malagentia, land of the bad people and my home. I am so proud to be one of yours and surrounded by so many talented people. I would make it my mission to amongst you.

Harvest Moon 2016 was the first year Baronial Bard would be re-established since prior to my entry into the SCA in 2010. I decided I would compete in everything I would be eligible for. I arrived on site, early, to see where I could be of service. I also would be as social as possible early on so I could make sure to be social but be a part of everything I could at this small and crammed event. Upon my walk about the site, I had bumped into an individual who i don’t see often, but still try to be polite to. What started as an average conversation quickly turned into a baradement of me for something I apparently had done in the past. I will leave out the gory details (Which I do not believe I did anything wrong) but note that I now felt uneasy. I felt shaken and like I shouldn’t even compete today whether it be in fencing or Bardic.

I wandered over to one of my mentors, Mistress Camille de Jardin (At the time, Dona Camille), and expressed my woes. She, as she often does, with grace, helped to not only provide a Bardic pep talk, but also had convinced me to don my fencing armor and face her in the fencing tournament. This silly and but fun tournament had lifted my spirits. Though the tournament was coming to a close, the heralds had called for those entering the Bardic tournament to come to the Barn. I resigned my spot in the fencing tournament and rushed to the Barn (This is after changing garb, fixing my hair and making myself look like a more presentable viking.

The Barn had a moderate sized crowd (Larger than expected as there were still other tournaments going on). The format was as follows:

The first piece was the performer’s choice. I decided to go with a piece that was well within my repertoire and that I felt confident that I could perform well. It has always been my experience to start off with a bang and start on a strong note so that if your next piece is not as good, you could have something to stand on.

The second piece was a random subject from a hat. We could perform any genre (Song, Story, Poem, Dance) but it had to be from the subject picked and did not have to be memorized. My subject was “Home”. I could think of no better song to perform than my mentor, Mistress Analeda Falconbridge’s, “I am of the North”. It was not perfect, but it was heartfelt and the audience joined me.

As we waited for them to announce the winner, I sat next to friends and the gentleman I had been competing against. There was a child, no older than 6 who decided to get up and perform as well. Between asking that gentleman who competed again me to please continue to teach and perform. Intermittently, I could not help but but be in awe of the bravery of the young lady on stage, performing the heck out of twinkle twinkle little star.

While watching this young lady and waiting for the judges to come back with their decision, It occurred to me that I had been focusing too much on competitions and what judges thought of me. It had been a long performance journey for me since college and feeling validated had been in the forefront of my mind. I watched this child perform for the pure joy of performing and I needed to find this again.

The judges re-convened and I was announced the winner. The win was still one for me to add so I could do more for the Province, but it was at this point I would focus more on the joy than winning.

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