Bardic Arts
Singing, poetry, prose, music, and more!What is It?
Bardic Circles
Instrumental Music
Compositions
Getting Started
What are Bardic Arts?
Bardic Arts in the SCA encompass the creative expression of medieval and Renaissance culture through music, poetry, storytelling, and dramatic performance. It’s a vibrant community of artists who strive to recreate the spirit of medieval entertainment, from courtly music and lyrical poetry to lively folk songs and dramatic re-enactments.
Bardic Circles
Bardic Circles are the heart of Bardic Arts in the SCA. These informal gatherings provide a platform for artists to share their work, receive feedback, and learn from each other. They offer a supportive and encouraging environment for both experienced and aspiring artists.
Instrumental Music
Music plays a vital role in Bardic Arts. Instruments commonly found in SCA music include:
- Lutes: Various types of lutes, including the renaissance lute and the medieval vielle.
- Hurdy-Gurdy: A unique string instrument with a hand-cranked wheel.
- Fiddles: Medieval and renaissance-style fiddles.
- Pipes: Bagpipes, flutes, and shawms.
- Drums: Drums of various sizes and styles.
Musicians in the SCA strive to play historically informed music, often using period instruments or replicas.
Writing and Musical Compositions
Another avenue into the Bardic Arts is the creation of new pieces modeled on historical styles. This can mean anything from pieces with a bit of medieval flavor on SCA topics, to highly detailed compositions accurate to a specific style and form. The latter can mean studying surviving examples of poetic or rhetorical forms, learning the rules and features in order to write new pieces in that form (often in a modern language comprehensible to a modern audience but occasionally written in historical language forms as well). Music can be incorporated in the form of a contrafact (itself a period practice of setting new words to existing music) or new music—whether sung or instrumental—can be composed following the musical principles of a historical culture and period. The writers or composers may perform their own pieces or may have other performers play, sing or recite them.
Getting Started
If you’re interested in exploring Bardic Arts, find your local group and attend an event. Look for Bardic Circles, music sessions, or storytelling events. You can also connect with other artists online through SCA discussion groups and social media.
The West Kingdom welcomes all levels of artistic expression. Whether you’re a seasoned musician, a budding poet, or simply enjoy listening to live music, you’ll find a warm welcome in the Bardic Arts community.
Meet Your Kingdom Bard
Katla loki Ulfsdottir
Bard of the West