Please note that this is an archived page. This event took place in February, 2004.

Event Schedule

9:00				Site opens
10:00-11:00			First Fyt
11:00-12:00			Morning class period
12:00-1:00			Lunch on your own
1:00-2:00			Second Fyt
2:00-3:00			Afternoon class period
3:00-4:00			Third Fyt
4:15-5:15			Royal/Baronial Court
After Court or 5:15-5:30	Northshield Bardic College meeting--all are welcome!
5:30-6:15			Travel to feast site/feast setup
				(feast site will be open all day)
6:15-9:15			Feast and Fourth Fyt
9:15-10:25			Site and kitchen cleanup
10:00 pm			Site closes to populace
~9:30 until whenever		Bardic post-revel at the home of
				Their Excellencies Castel Rouge
				(directions will be available at the event)

Class Schedule

Morning (11am-12pm)	Afternoon (2pm-3pm)
Tin Whistle	Northshield Choir Rehearsal
How To Do SCA Research	History of the Ballad
Ravenscroft Songs for Children

Class Listing

Tin Whistle
An introduction to techniques of tin whistle playing. The whistle is a serious instrument the basics of which can be learned quickly. This class will prepare those new to music as well as experienced musicians to explore the tin whistle's wide range of applications. Teacher: Peter the Wanderer, Shire of Rivenwood Tower, Northshield, Midrealm

How to Do SCA Research
Whether you are researching period music, looking at medieval literary styles or verifying a detail of performance garb, every bard needs to be able to do good research. This session will give an overview of how to find books articles and websites using the University of Manitoba Libraries as an example. Teacher: Berengaria of Outremer, Barony of Castel Rouge, Northshield, Midrealm

Ravenscroft Songs for Children
Ravenscroft published arrangements of well-known songs in the early 17th century. We will be learning some of these appropriate for children including "Three Blinde Mice", "The Marriage of the Frogge and the Mouse" and "Tomorrow the Fox". Children should be accompanied by adults. Teachers: Mistress Monika z Gniezno and Mistress Rosanore of Redthorn, Baronies of Castel Rouge and Nordskogen, Northshield, Midrealm

Northshield Choir Rehearsal
You are officially invited to join the Northshield Choir. We're looking at songs for our "Concert of Love". Led by Christian d'Hiver, Barony of Nordskogen, Northshield, Midrealm

History of the Ballad
An exploration into the development and innovations of the musical/poetical style known as the ballad, from the 14th through the 17th century. In this course, there will be a heavy emphasis on the practical application of authoring period style ballads. Teacher: Armonn Bonaventa, Barony of Castel Rouge, Northshield, Midrealm

Challenges at Bardic Madness XIV

The Rules:

Challenges are not competitions. You win by entering.
Please limit each individual performance to 5-7 minutes maximum, to be fair to others.
Only one piece per performer per challenge.
This is a family show; if you have a bawdy piece to perform, it might be better received at the post-revel.
This is a bardic safe space. Take chances, be creative, put your heart into it, and have fun!

Participants sign up for the challenges at the event. However, just as important as the participants are the patrons for each challenge: they announce the participants and provide a token to recognize each person's work. If you will definitely be at the event and are interested in being a patron for one of the challenges, please e-mail the provost directly at jfriedmn@pressenter.com. Please note that most challenges are already taken. I can also use a few "alternate patrons" in case one of the patrons can't make it.

Fyt the First

Tag Story
All participants get up together and tell a story, with the patron selecting the next person to continue the story. You can never tell when your turn will be! The title of the story is "The Maiden and the Knight of Great Reknown". Patron: Dahrien Cordell

Love Song
Just what it says. Perform a musical or poetic work expressing your love. Romantic works are preferred given the day's theme, but filial, patriotic, etc. works are also welcome. Originator: Dahrien Cordell; Patron: Deirdre inghen ui Bardain

Baronial Challenge: A Picture Worth 1,000 Words
Event attendees will draw pictures before the challenge. Then participants will take a picture at random and draw a song tune out of a hat just before the challenges start, and write a song about the picture--two verses and a chorus, minimum. Theme to be announced the day of the event. Originator: Master Owen Alun; patrons: Their Excellencies, Baron and Baroness of Castel Rouge, Hrodbeort and Faerisa

Fyt the Second

Twist of the Heart
The serving boy gets the girl. The sterling knight loses. The beautiful maiden dies. Defy the convention of the happy ending--or make the ending happy in a totally unexpected way. This is a challenge to do the unexpected in your choice of bardic format. Originator: THL Charissa de la Sirra; Patron: Viscountess Elashava

Authenticity's Delight
Perform an original piece (yours or someone else's) in a period style, or perform a piece documentable to SCA period. Plan to briefly introduce the piece by saying what style it is in, and from when/where. Originator: Lady Ysolt Pais de Cuer; Patron: THL Aleksandr

Allegory
In the book, "Le Livre du Cueur d'Amour Espris" (The Book of the Heart Captured by Love) by King Rene d'Anjou (1457), the author's heart, personified as a knight in white armor, goes on a journey to the Island of Love to seek the Lady Sweet Grace, with his companions Desire and Generosity. He is captured by an evil baron named Sorrow, then rescued by Honor. In story, song, poetry, or any other medium, give us an allegory where every character and place stands for some larger concept. See a summary of the book and many of its stunning illuminations at: http://www.guice.org/bklvntr2.html (cheesy music warning--you might want to mute your speakers) Patron: Lady Karianne Rysstad

Fyt the Third

Make a Production Out of It
Take a poem or song, original or someone else's, in English or another language, and stage it as a mini-theater piece, acting along with the piece's performance. Props, modest scenery, costumes, etc. are encouraged. Involve your friends! Remember, please stick to the challenge time limit. Patron: Lady Berengaria of Outremer

Argue For or Against
Given a topic chosen out of a hat (or thought of by the audience) and five to fifteen minutes to prepare, present an argument for or against that topic. This can be done in prose or verse, with or without props or music. The topics will likely be creative, as they will come from the participants. Patron: Peter the Wanderer

Royal Challenge: Unlikely Alliances
Their Highnesses come from clashing cultures; on this day we celebrate the things that bring people together. Tell a tale, sing a song, pronounce a poem, or read a riddle about an unlikely alliance of love or friendship. Originator: Master Owen Alun; Patrons: Their Stellar Highnesses of the Northshield, Anne and Aubrey

Fyt the Fourth and Final

Toast
Make a toast to the person who has been the biggest influence/motivator/etc. in your SCA life, and honor them briefly with your words. (Please wait until the traditional toasts to Royalty have been given and the patron has stepped up to introduce you.) Originator: Safya bint Zayad from the Outlands; Patron: Mistress Rosanore

Bard Scribe Illuminator
Given a subject in the morning, compose, calligraph, and illuminate a text on that subject. This may be done individually or as a team. Patron: Mistress Ainesleah

Singing For Your Supper
Format, content and subject selection for this challenge are fairly wide-open: original work (of yours or another's), documentable-to-period or Current Middle Ages. Emphasis here is the selection and delivery of a work that recognizes and caters to the unique environment of the feast hall as a performance venue. Patron: THL Madeleine

See you at Bardic Madness XIV!

Eliane
Provost, BMXIV

This page last updated: February 8, 2004. Minimal changes for archiving, August 2004.
For more information about the Barony of Castel Rouge, contact the Seneschal.