Category: bardic

Categories
bardic inclusion Pennsic Uncategorized

Representation and its challenges

We head out for Pennsic today. I’m excited to be doing the whole thing this year and camping on-site once more, even as I’m nervous about factors beyond our control that we never used to worry about (Covid, air quality).

And I’m excited to be doing my concert again, having opted not to stay for war week last year. Barring things we can’t prevent, I’ll be performing on the big stage for the first time in four years. So I wanted to do something special. Ambitious. Maybe a little crazy? (For someone who isn’t exactly made out of spare time.)

I decided to perform Hold the Door Open with a full voice cast for the four main characters. A representative voice cast, including performers who could demonstrate the diversity of sometimes marginalized experiences the song is about.

Continue reading “Representation and its challenges”
Categories
bardic Pennsic songwriting video

New song: Homecoming

We just got back from Pennsic (and boy is our everything tired). We’re extremely happy with our decision to only go for peace week this year and manage our risks. More about that later.

While I was at war, I debuted my newest song, “Homecoming”, which I finished last Friday, just in time for Pennsic. I was able to share it at a couple of bardic circles and a number of private performances for friends and chosen family.

Continue reading “New song: Homecoming”
Categories
bardic SCAatHome teaching video

New Class: Developing Stage Presence

And 5 weeks later…another new class! This one is titled “Developing Stage Presence as a Bard”, and I remembered to get a recording of it! This was a lively class with lots of interaction, which I really enjoyed.

Categories
bardic filk songwriting teaching

New Class: Pleasures & Perils of Making Filk

Hi all! I had the chance to teach my first new class in a long time: “The Pleasures & Perils of Making Filk”. I had a lot of fun, and it was well-attended. Eventually, I’ll have to see what I can do about teaching it again and getting that recorded, but in the meantime, feel free to check out the class notes.

Categories
bardic filk SCA video

Maria’s Elevation (Bergental/BBM Yule & New Filk)

Saturday, Jess and I attended the Yule event for the Baronies of Bergental and Beyond the Mountain. It was a lovely chance to get to see people one last time before we pack it in on SCA events for the winter (and the corresponding COVID surge, which of course is already on the rise). We were primarily there so I could deliver a commission:

Continue reading “Maria’s Elevation (Bergental/BBM Yule & New Filk)”
Categories
bardic First Bardic War

The First Bardic War has begun!

After months of planning, promoting, recruiting, and cat-herding, the First Bardic War is at last upon us. Over 100 hours of performances will be available to enjoy, and competitive and non-competitive events will abound. The Facebook page seems to have livestreams of running throughout the day—if you don’t see it when you go there, check the “Videos” tab.)

As one of the East/Atlantia alliance’s generals, I am immensely proud of the scope and breadth of the talent we are bringing to the battlefield. I am competing in three categories myself: the Champions Battle (prerecorded, war point will be streaming on Tuesday May 18 at 5:30 PM EDT), Original Song of the Modern Middle Ages (live, war point streams Saturday May 22 at 7:00 PM EDT), and the Brawl. (Here is the War Point schedule.)

The Brawl videos premiered on YouTube this morning, and will be available throughout the war for the populace to vote on (total YouTube likes per alliance, full playlist is here). My entry is below.

I will also be teaching “My Guitar’s Persona Is a Lute” on Zoom Monday May 17 at 5 PM EDT. (Zoom links are posted at the start of each day on the website.)

I look forward to seeing you on or off the battlefield.

YIS, Drake

Categories
bardic Competition SCAatHome

Bardic Champions: Stepping down

Last Saturday, the East Kingdom held its annual Bardic Championship, and I had the surreal experience of participating in this event as one of the MCs and judges. This was hardly the only “first” for the championship, which of course was conducted entirely online for the first time as well.

Continue reading “Bardic Champions: Stepping down”
Categories
bardic filk First Bardic War

Acknowledgments

So, I am totally going to bard hell, as promised. It’s a small price to pay for the joy of co-creating something that lifts spirits and promotes community and fun, and “The Zoom Where It Happens” seems to have done that.

But no one does anything alone. I threw out an idea, and it would have come to nothing without the dedication and talent of a large collection of friends old and new. So I have people to thank.

Continue reading “Acknowledgments”
Categories
bardic filk First Bardic War SCAatHome video

New Video: “The Zoom Where It Happens”

This weekend, I posted a new video of a brand-new filk, which tells the true story of the origins of The First Bardic War. “The Zoom Where It Happens” is, of course, based on “The Room Where It Happens” from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton. This one, as you can see, involved a ton of collaboration from some incredibly talented bards (and a few very generous royals), and I will post more about that experience in the coming week. (The song page has copious annotations for serious geeks and Hamilfans.)

Enjoy (and I’d be very grateful if you subscribed to my YouTube channel while you’re there):

Categories
bardic First Bardic War

A Disclaimer

What…shenanigans? About the upcoming Bardic War? From bards?!? Coming soon? That’s…that’s preposterous.

I of course have absolutely no idea what these rumormongers are talking about. The very idea of our fine, upstanding SCA bards being involved in (shudder) “shenanigans” is obviously, patently absurd.

Honestly. (Shakes head) I have no idea where these rumors come from…

Drake, Consort’s Bard, East (and entirely too dignified for such nonsense)