The Barony of the Cleftlands and the Shire of Falcon’s Quarry are encouraging participation in this area of the performing arts. Last year’s Informal Bardic Competition was so well received, we again cordially invite all gentle present, hopeful, once-and-future storytellers who recite, sing, or narrate, to participate in:

• What: An Informal, Unofficial Bardic Competition
• When: Saturday afternoon, commencing at 12:30
  (There will be a non-adjudicated Bardic Circle after Feast)
• Where: Outdoors. Specific location to be announced.

• Your SCA name
• Your mundane name
• Whether this entry is for prose narration, poetry, or song The topic, selected from the three at the main Bardic Competition page

We invite any and all who wish to present a story-telling performance in an informal competition to come and recite poetry, make a narrative recitation, or sing. The outstanding performer in each of these three forms of storytelling as well as in the Novice category, will receive a beautiful scroll created by the Cleftlands Scribes' Guild, in recognition of their achievement.

Since the Informal, Unofficial Bardic Competition is a part of Northern Oaken War Maneuvers, shorthanded NOWM (say “nome”), each story, song, or poem you wish to perform competitively must deal with one of the three topics, below. Remember that we are a medieval society, and in the Middle Ages, puns were much enjoyed.

1. *What’s in a NOWM/Gnome?
   Yes, this title is cribbed from The Bard, himself (Romeo and Juliet; she asks, “What’s in a name? A rose by any other would smell as sweet….”) Tell us what is in a NOWM, or in a gnome. Tell us, in heroic song, prose, or verse, a story which will explain NOWMs or gnomes---whichever inspires you.
2. *There’s no place like NOWM
   You did click your ruby slipper-clad heels together three times to get here, right? You wanted to be here, yes? You had great adventures in order to get here? Then tell us about the epic journey and why you find there is no place like NOWM.
3. *War Horses and Well-Gnome Tales/Tails
   According to Webster’s Infopedia, a War Horse is a.) a horse used in war, a charger; b.) a person with long experience in a field, especially a veteran soldier or public person (as, a politician); c.) something (as, a work of art or a musical composition) that has become overly familiar or hackneyed due to much repetition in the standard repertoire. We’re going with C, a well-known/well-worn tale, which can be about A, a horse used in war; or B, a person with long experience; or C, something overly familiar or hackneyed in the standard repertoire. The tail may be the tail of a horse or other animal, or the tail, as in end, of the story. If it isn’t well-known or well-worn yet, here’s an opportunity for you to make it one, or start it on its way to becoming the other.

Any of the above topics may be presented in any of the three designated forms of performance (story, song, or poem.) Competitors not entering the Novice category may elect to present more than one of the above topics, and may elect more than one presentation category.

For example, poetry answering the question, What’s in a NOWM/Gnome?, and a song about War Horses and Well-Gnome Tales/Tails. Or, a prose narrative about War Horses and Well-Gnome Tales/Tails, and another prose narrative explaining why There’s No Place Like NOWM.

Novices – If you have never participated any bardic competition before, you may elect to enter as a Novice Bardic Competitor, but are not required to do so. “Never” and “any” mean never, ever at all before this competition. A different type of presentation in a prior bardic competition counts as a prior participation. For instance, if you have never sung in a bardic competition, but have recited, you are not a Novice. Novice is considered one category, including all three types of presentations; a Novice entry means presenting one topic in any one of the three formats (song, poetic recitation, or prose narration.)

All Entrants - Please have a copy of your entry(ies) to give to the judge or judges. All material except filked tunes must be original. If your song utilizes a filked tune, please include this fact and the name of the tune with your copy of the lyrics.

Concerning musical entries or accompaniment: Instrumental entries are not permitted: this is story-telling in prose, song, and verse, so there must be a story told in words for the judges and audience to hear. Instrumental accompaniment is permitted. It may be live, or tape recorded. Original tunes are encouraged; original tunes must be written in period style, or at least be periodesque; present a copy of the music and the lyrics to the judges. As noted above, filked tunes are permitted, as long as the tune either can be documented as being period, or at least isn’t recognizably out of period. The Star-Spangled Banner, White Christmas, Yankee Doodle, and The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald are examples of tunes readily recognizable as out of period. Filked tunes must also sound folk-song-like, but may also be liturgical music-sounding.

Entries will be judged using Middle Kingdom A&S Bardic Competition guidelines, although this is not an official Middle Kingdom competition in any way. (We had to give the judges some sort of objective base!)

TIME LIMITS

All entrants’ performances will be subject to the following time restrictions:

• Poem or song - Five minutes
• Narrative prose (NOT verse or poetry!) - Nine minutes

JUDGING

Entries will be judged on periodicity, originality, content, and over-all impression.

• The Judges have the authority to upgrade a competitor from novice based on the caliber of that competitor’s performance.
• The Judges have the authority to increase or decrease time limits for performance categories, as deemed appropriate or necessary, or to restrict the number of categories a performer may perform, or both. Any changes to the performance time limits will be made before the competition begins. Time limit changes for any category will apply to all performers in that category.
• Nothing deemed by the Judges to be morbid, obscene or lewd, or otherwise offensive will be permitted, and may disqualify a competitor. This is a daytime competition; children may be present as competitors or spectators, and we’d like for everyone to feel comfortable and to want to return to us next year. One disqualifying vote for offensive material by just one judge will eliminate a performer. No unanimous, majority or plurality vote is required. The Judge’s or Judges’ decision in this matter is FINAL.