King’s and Queen’s Bardic Competition Rules
The Barony of Bergental is pleased to be hosting this year’s King & Queen’s Bardic Championships in conjunction with our traditional Novice Schola and Baronial Birthday on March 8th.
The Bardic Championships are scheduled to begin at 11:00 am. Here are details of the format as provided by the current Queen’s Bard, Maistre Lucien:
East Kingdom Bardic Championship
The competition will take place over three rounds with the following parameters: first round, a piece written on an SCA theme OR a documentably period piece; second round, the other of the two options given in the first round; third round, Their Majesties’ choice.
Competitors will be judged by Their Majesties and an advisory committee on choice of material, artistic impression, audience impact,
technical skill, and individual response.
Each performer is asked to submit, prior to the first round, an
index-card-sized summary of types of performances and styles the
performer would be willing to perform with little or no prior notice.
This gives the performers a chance to display versatility as well as
skill, and gives Their Majesties additional information as they
consider their next bardic champions. Their Majesties will choose
something from this list for the final round, so consider well what
you may be called upon to perform! **(Examples are below.)
Time allowing, those not wishing to be considered as champions may
perform for the recognition of the King and Queen.
ROUND ONE
Performers may choose between a documentably period piece, or a work
written on an SCA theme. First round pieces may not exceed five
minutes. (Longer works should be performed in excerpt.)
For this competition, a Period Piece is defined as directly historical
or utilizing period styles (tunes, stories, music adapted from a
primary source, etc.). Please provide brief documentation for a period
piece, such as would fit upon an index card. For this competition, an
“SCA theme” may be broadly interpreted as any work written about SCA
persons, events, or culture, and does not require documentation.
ROUND TWO
If the performer’s choice for the first round was a period piece, this
must be a work on an SCA theme, and v/v. Rounds one and two should
differ in some other way, for example, lively/slow, spoken/sung,
wistful/cheerful, etc. Second round pieces should be no longer than
eight minutes in length.
ROUND THREE
This final round will be Their Majesties’ choice, guided by the
performer’s earlier works, the skills which have been listed in their
performance summary, and a brief interview of the entrant. Performers
will have a few minutes to prepare.
The new Bardic Champions will be announced and begin their service at
Court this day.
Bardic Champions are expected to:
* Make an effort to attend at minimum the Crown Tournaments and
Coronations during their tenure, and Pennsic if at all possible, as
well as other Kingdom Events and Royal Progresses as the Champion is
able.
* Be willing/able to perform at courts, feasts, and other functions
(and at the whim of Their Royal Majesties).
* Be willing/able to perform something on the spur of the moment
(especially in the event of a delay breaking out).
* Commemorate the history of The Crowns and the East Kingdom in song
and story.
* Advise and assist the Crown in the organization of the competition
to choose their successors.
**PERFORMER SUMMARY EXAMPLES:
Name (list relevant SCA info) what you do that makes you you as a
performer, and what you can do on command.
Romanus Gaius Cantus (SC, OTC, Troubadour) Roman-style boasts, filk
on any topic to the tune of the Maltese Bransle or Greensleeves, good
at extemporaneous speaking, can chant war-style marching songs in
Latin. Excellent at theatre-style reading text I have not seen before.
Skihald the Viking (King’s Bard to John VIII, Troubadour, Order of the
Maunche, Order of the Laurel) Perform and write Norse-styled poetry
in English, tell skaldic tales from 4 to 10 minutes in length from
hilarious to morose, excellent teller of jokes, intermediate juggler,
have several magic tricks I have worked into period settings.
Ysibeau du Provance Period pieces in French for solo voice or
recorder, Latin sacred music of the 12th century, improvisational
harp. Can write small praise poems in French and English with some
notice. Familiar with some music from most SCA periods, and
SCA-appropriate songs. I am good at selecting music for different
occasions.
Haven Fortnight (Bard to Baron of the Place) I know a handful of
period pieces, but my strengths are really SCA-appropriate non-period
songs composed by others (traditional, folk tradition, SCA-composers)
or by myself. I also play guitar. I can write pieces on commission
with some notice. I can play and stroll at the same time. I can write
in rhyming verse on short notice on nearly any topic and present it.
Questions regarding the competition format or requirements should be
directed to the current Queen’s Bard, Maistre Lucien de Pontivy, via
email at <mheskridge@gmail.com>, at least one week prior to the
competition. For any other questions, please contact the event
autocrat.