Bardic Candidate Guide to the Trials
On the night Please ensure that you arrive by 7pm. You will be shown to the Candidates Corner, where you will be provided support and help during the evening. There is a place to keep instruments or other items close by if you wish to include them in your performances. Only Candidates may sit in Candidates corner, any guest must sit in the audience. Please note that the winner will be expected to have photos taken after the event finishes at 11.00pm The evening starts with the hosts welcoming the audience, the Town Crier announces the judges. The Bardic Judging Panel (made up of the out-going Bard, the Mayor and a representative of Stony Words). The outgoing Bard performs her final piece and joins the judging panel. Then the competition begins with the host introducing the candidates. Each candidate will wear a colour and names will be drawn out of a hat to decide the order. The Competition Rounds The Bard is appointed in open competition over THREE rounds, all to be held on the evening of 20th January 2024. During the competition you must come prepared to give a total of three performance pieces and a statement of your Bardic Intent. Voting happens between each round, but you will be able to present two pieces and you Bardic Intent before the audience and Judges vote anyone out.
Past Bards found this round was good to present a piece with a local theme to show the audience and judges your ability to create work based on or around Stony Stratford: this could be one of its festivals/events, its history, its landscape, etc....
This is your chance to introduce yourself to the audience and really sell why you should be Bard, in the past the audience and judges have been keen to learn: 1. what you intend to do in your year (are there any special projects or charities the Bardship can help you promote) 2. what it can do for you 3. what you can do for the Town, Bardship and Bardic arts locally.
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Bardic Top Tips
These are not rules, but tips suggested by previous Bards and the Bardic Council to help guide new Bards through the Bardic Trials and their exciting year ahead. The Trials
Additional
As a Candidate you will be in the public view all evening, so we ask for your best chance of winning the audience over and showing your Bardic qualities to bear that in mind. If there should be any issue during the evening please let either Host know. We do really understand that being eliminated from the competition can be upsetting and disappointing, all of the Bardic Council have at one time or another entered (and lost) and understand the emotional roller coaster it can be. However, we have tried very hard over the years to make the voting the as fair and transparent as possible, and even during these difficult times we strive to make the voting as safe and as equitable as possible. Should you have any issue with our process please talk to us about it after the competition, and we would be happy to review our process. |