minstrel: music participation advice?

[Dustin]

Wow, I am not the only one with this complaint! I live in the North part of
Ansteorra and we have a major problem with events and live music. There was
once a band in the local Barony called Weights & Measures and they finally
gave up and stoped playing at events (they mostly had period replicas of
instruments too). It seems if it is not bardic filk (or SCA Anthems) or
Belly dance drumers then no one cares. Coming to an SCA event and trying to
play music is sometimes like hitting your head into the wall. I have walked
away from so many events wandering why I wasted my time (I even gave up a
paying gig to play a court, only to be shoved to the back and hushed when
ever we tryed to play fan fairs). It seems the locals do not know what to do
with musicians: "period music, why would we want that here?"

My advice to you is: if there is no hope in the future at your local SCA
group, find like minded people in the mundane world and do not waist your
time playing for def ears. I am lucky that we have these folk music
societies here that are suportive of early and even the arabic music I play.
There are also the members of Weights & Measures and several early music
musicians (that no one in the SCA around here even knows about, go figure)
to learn and play music with. OU even has a 16th c. band (one of the flute
players is my teacher). There are local cafes that love the music too.

Is your SCA group up in Washington? If so, I belive you have one of the
biggest folk life festivals in the Northwest, let alone opportunities to go
to early music workshops, but that is in the Seattle area.

I do not mean to be down on the SCA, but the Society has never been known
for it's period music (not that there are no good period musicians in the
society). In fact if you go to an Early music workshop or festival, it is
best not mention the SCA. This was a society based around a medieval fight
club after all (I always love watching people beat the hell out of each
other!).

I do agree that were there is dance there is more of a love for live music.
That is the case for the shire of Mooneshadowe (North Oklahoma). Almost all
of thier musicians in the Shire band are in offices, so that may also be a
factor. They have a pretty good turn out with dance practices.

I have pretty much given up on playing music at events. Sometimes I bring my
replica of a 16th c. flute, but that is just to past the time until dance
starts. We have pretty much focused most of our time on early dance, but
that is dying here too. It is a good thing that the local mundane dance
societies (International, English & Scotish) have shown an interest in it or
else we would not have that nice dance room at the local YMCA for free (not
to mention there would only be 4 people at dance practice).

I wish you luck and I am happy to know that this problem is not just an
North Ansteorra (Oklahoma) thing. I do know that down in the southern part
of this kingdom (Texas) there is more apprieciation for music, but that
could also be because of Avatar (local music guru and loral) or that there
are more universities...I do not know.

Good luck!

D 

on 12/29/02 4:40 PM, toni seales at antoniadg at yahoo.com wrote:

> I noticed a wonderful-sounding bardic festival
> announcement and would like to inquire:  How do you
> get people in your SCA group to a)appreciate musicians
> b)listen c)participate?
> I have been struggling ever since I started with the
> SCA.  There is a great appreciation for filk songs,
> and lenthy ballads and stories, but people never
> actually listen to us instrumentalists/period singers.
> Celtic music is popular enough.  (don't get me
> started..)  And people who have a little experience
> with a guitar or violin don't seem to want to give
> early music a try.  Anyone gotten over this hurdle??
> Antonia in AnTir
> 
> =====
> email is irregular-call if time sensitive 782 2560
> 
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