🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <C1AHs4.Bp4@news.ucs.mun.ca> andrew@bransle.ucs.mun.ca (Andrew Draskoy) writes (among other noteworthy comments):

>  I suspect that if instead of going to the Vancouver Folk Song Society,
>I had gone to some organisation that ranked people in some fashion, I would
>never have become a singer, or come to appreciate some of the deeper,
>most important qualities of songs.

Fortunately, that has not been my observation of the majority of bardic-
related events, at least in An Tir.  With the exception of a few known
individuals (read "musical snobs"), I have noted encouragement of all levels 
of performance ability, on the perceived basis that everybody has a right to 
shared expression and that we may even by-gosh learn something from them, not 
to mention hearing a variety of talents.

>  I'd like to associate more with other musicians in the SCA, but frankly
>SCA organisations generally place so much emphasis on ranking that they
>turn me off, and they never seem to be organised enough to actually hold
>well advertised meetings and otherwise let people know what they do, at
>least at Pennsic (where I've tried to seek them out) and through (East)
>kingdom and society publications.

Again, An Tir may be ahead of the masses in this, but: even though I have been
out of the SCA for two years now, I still have current SCAdians walk up to or
call me on a regular basis--and not always the same ones--to tell me that 
something bardic, formal or in-, is going on if I want to make time (which,
unfortunately, I never can).  My recollection of these events is that they are
pretty eclectic, drawing all levels of (welcome) ability for the chance to
express themselves.  It's brought a lot of nervous Nellies out of the closet,
to their benefit and others'.  At the annual Celtic Bardic Fest in Blatha an
Oir (Tacoma, WA), I have happily heard performance that run the gamut of
style and ability.  That is the most prestigious bardic event, to my mind,
in An Tir, and all are welcome.

Oh, well...we always knew the west (small "w") was progressive...
-- 
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<>  Andrea Aldridge    IRC:  Folkie   E-Mail:  n9040513@henson.cc.wwu.edu <>
<>  WWU - 452 Edens Hall North/Bellingham, WA 98225-5971   (206) 650-2647 <>
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