minstrel: What to do?

[Sandi Augsburger]

I have been "lurking" with much interest lately. There are so many
talented and productive musicians on this list! I am in awe!

My background has been in Renaissance and Medieval music, which I have
been playing for over 25 years. I have directed consorts, have studied
the periods for many years both on my own and through graduate-level
college classes, and have helped spread the love of this music.

However, as I read your posts, it seems that most of the projects that
people pursue tend to be more heavily oriented toward scholarly research
than toward developing the dissemination and production of the music
itself. In other words, I have seen little discussion of how to actually
play the music in period style (which does require knowledge of the
history of the music and the peoples).

So, I guess what I am asking is this: Is scholarly research the way to
contribute to the dream and, thereby, advance in rank? I am not a
fighter and my husband is not a member, so I can't advance through
winning in combat. Besides, I wish to advance through my own merit, not
that of my spouse, or anyone who might fight for me.

The music of the era has been well researched by internationally known
Ph.D.-scholars, and I do not have access to the libraries, nor to the
the funds, which I would need in order to pursue a new research project.
If I did, I would be able to go ahead and get my OWN Ph.D.!
Unfortunately, I live in a small farming town in Idaho. Besides,
"re-inventing the wheel" by researching things that have already been
discovered does not add to our knowledge base in the SCA.

I like to research, and I like to write. So, it's not that I am just
dragging my feet. I really don't know what I can do. Is it possible to
advance through encouraging and educating the gentles in my area about
the music?

Can anyone explain to me how this works? Any ideas of what I might enter
into competition? As you might guess, I am fairly new in the SCA.

Thanks, in advance, for any ideas you can share!

Sandi

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