The bardic championship has begun. The rules are as follows:

On the day of the competition each performer shall submit a brief “resume” (such as would fit on an index card) listing the performance types and styles (e.g.  songs, stories, jests, musical instruments, poetry, improvisation of diverse kinds, etc.) that the performer is willing to offer upon request, should the performer reach the finals.  Competitors are encouraged to be specific (see below for examples).  This gives the performers a chance to display versatility as well as skill, and gives Their Majesties additional information as they “audition” their next bardic champions.  

Competition Format:  The competition will take place over three rounds.  All performance pieces should be period, period-style*, or otherwise SCA-appropriate**.  All performers must perform at least one period or “period style” piece with documentation in either the first or second round.  For this competition, the cutoff date will be considered 1651, so Playford (and everything earlier) counts.  
Excessively bawdy or overtly adult themed offerings are not welcome.  

Round 1:  Pieces may not exceed 4 minutes, and can be period, period-style, or SCA-appropriate.  

Round 2:  Pieces may not exceed 6 minutes.  Competitors in this round must perform a period piece if they chose to do a non-period piece in Round 1.

Round 3:  The assignment for the final round will be determined by Their Majesties, guided by the performer’s earlier works, as well as the information obtained from the performer via their resume.  Performers will have a few moments to prepare between the assignment from TRM and the start of performances.

A period performance is defined as a song, story, or other performance that can be plausibly documented prior to 1651.  Original compositions based on period rules of composition, original stories based on period styles, contrafacta to a period tune, and other such performances can be considered a period-style performance, with the required documentation**.  For example, a performer could sing a period song with lyrics that have been rewritten modernly, tell a story from the Decameron in English, play an original tune in a period style on recorder, or recite a modern English translation of an Old English poem.  Note that original works need not be written by the performer, so long as the style is documentable prior to 1651.  

**An SCA-appropriate performance is any non-period piece of an appropriate nature for an SCA Bardic event, which cannot be documented prior to 1651.  This would include things like SCA folk songs, or traditional pieces or stories that do not break the illusion of the medieval & Renaissance periods.

* Documentation is required for at least one of your performances in the first two rounds, and can be supplied on an index card.  For all questions concerning documentation, or assistance, please contact one of the current Champions.

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