Join us for this year’s Bardic Symposium! Symposium meets from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM during War Week, Monday through Friday in AS 9
If you are interested in being a Panelist, please email pennsicbardic@gmail.com with a list of panel topics you would be interested in participating as well as well as how many you are willing to do.
Provost, Bardic Symposium
Aibhilin inghean Daibhidh
Returning this year: Writing Challenge
Topic: Write a piece about a LIVING person in the SCA who inspired you or about an inspiring historical figure
NOTE: Top will be posted on this site once it is decided
This year, Bardic Symposium will also be doing a Writing Challenge (song, story, or poem!). A topic for the writing challenge will be decided during Monday’s session. Wednesday will offer an opportunity to meet with your fellow participants and get feedback, work through challenges, and workshop your words after a panel discussion on techniques and tips to get past writers block and refine our words. On Friday, we will discuss how to best give and receive feedback in the SCA, then present our pieces for feedback. Everyone completing the Writing Challenge will receive a token! If you are unable to attend the Friday session but would like to participate in the writing challenge, Aibhilin will hold some ‘office hours’ on Thursday and Friday for you to participate and receive your token!
Monday: Memories and Memorials
Panelists: Morgan Wolfsinger, Cerian Cantwr, Owen Alun
Meet your fellow bards.
Discussion topics include how do we keep the work of those that have passed alive in a respectful way? How do we preserve a persons work before they are gone? What are the merits, or problems, with video records? How do we ensure we do not deter participation due to modern recording devices.
The Symposium writing challenge returns this year – we will collectively pick a topic on Monday.
Decided topic will be shared on the Bardic Symposium website so all may participate in the writing.
Tuesday: Nurturing New Bards/Performers
Panelists: Thorve Skald Rikardardottir, Lucia Elena Braganza, Katerina of Coventry
How do we nurture and encourage new bards and performers? What types of encouragement work? What drives them away? How do we help them find their place and style of performance they like? How do we encourage them to grow their skills? How do we make bardic more appealing to new people?
Wednesday: Modern recording and you
Panelists: Drake Oranwood, Cerian Cantwr, Cobflaith ingen Sitriucaa meiclmair (1st half), Efenwealt Wystle (2nd half)
Whether it’s for a personal challenge, YouTube posterity, or a desire to sell CDs, take the first step into recording yourself. How do you start the process of recording your work? What equipment do you need? What skills can you acquire? How do you acquire the skills? How do you incorporate other people or instruments into your work? How do you get your work ‘out there’.
Thursday: Challenge Yourself
Panelists:Vince Conaway, Simon de Spaldyng, Fiana of Clare
How do you keep your bardic fresh? How do you challenge yourself to improve? What strategies help to find new paths to travel as a bard/performer?
Friday: Right piece, right time
Panelists: Morgan Wolfsinger, Elizabeth de Spaldyng, Liadan Liathan
How do we ensure our content is appropriate and inoffensive? How do read the room to pick the right piece? How do we ensure that comedy is funny without ‘punching down’. When does something become not appropriate? How can we adapt and update works to keep with the time? How can we respect the original piece while editing for content that is now inappropriate