Filk Music

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Filk Programming

If you've tunes of your own, take your own moment in the spotlight! Sign up for the One Shot Concerts anytime before 2pm Friday afternoon, to be in our Friday One Shot Concert. If you make your decision Thursday, you can come to the Sound Check Work Party and make sure the mike and recording equipment is well tuned to match your style.

That's right, you heard it here... Gerry Tyra and crew will be recording to digital master tape during the conference. If you want to make sure your tunes are properly named and credited, be sure to let him know. And if for whatever reason you do not want your song to ever hit tape or CD, please be kind; let him know gently, and he will make sure your tracks are not kept.

The Folk You Want To Know

Nick Smith, JoAnn Christy, Doris Robin, Karen Trimble.

The Los Angeles Filkharmonics are West Coast filkdom's premier vocalist group, with a lot of media songs and fannishly adjusted pop hits. (In Concert Saturday, see also Crossovers)

Lee and Barry Gold.

Lee Gold publishes Xenofilkia [www], a bimonthly filkzine; Barry's a great guitarist. Just about any song you may have heard of might be found in their filkbags. (In Concert Saturday)

Kathy Mar.

Now living in sunny Northern California, Kathy's beautiful voice and powerful (sometimes unusual) chording techniques have charmed many mainstream folksong listeners as well as Midwestern fans to an interest in filk. (In Concert Friday, see also Crossovers)

Roberta Rogow.

Famous for her parodies, able to fill a room with a single strum (assuming a microphone)... er, you get the idea. Roberta joins us from the East Coast with a full songbook. (In Concert Friday, see also Crossovers)

Steve Savitsky.

Hyperspace engineer and computer songster, but those aren't the only kind of songs a Mandelbear has at the ready. (In Concert Saturday)

Heather Stern.

Your Filk Committee - if there's anything you would like to help with or some filkish trouble you'd like sorted out, she's your gal.

Gerry Tyra and family.

Let's give a big round of applause to our Sound Crew!

Joanna Cazden and Scott Wilkinson.

If you haven't heard of them yet, you have got to come hear them. This dynamic duo is a joy to hear. (In Concert Saturday)

Thursday

1 PM: From Back Halls to Concert Halls - the History of Filk Music. Lee Gold moderator, Kathy Mar, Roberta Rogow, Heather Stern.

Filk as a recognized form has been around a long while; we've developed our own jargon, still argue over whether some mainstream songs really are Filk after all, and we've grown as Fandom itself has. So join us for how it all began, where it's at these days, and where we seem to be heading.

2:30 PM: The Things That You've Shown Us, The Stories You Tell. Nick Smith moderator, Kathy Mar, Joanna Cazden, Doris Robin.

The best songs ring in your head and heart later, because you remember the tale they tell. We'll discuss putting the story in your song, and how musical styles affect the tale that's told.

4 PM: Your Lyrics, Another's Tune: Parody Workshop. Roberta Rogow.

Not all of us can be tunesmiths. That first flash of inspiration may need a few more verses. Roberta will help you throw together your own parodies. If you like what you get, sign up for the One Shots with your results!

5 PM: Sound Check Work Party. Gerry Tyra and crew.

The Sound Check Work Party is only open to performers who will be in concert at the convention. One Shot artists will get more details during sign-up.

EVENING.

After the Social Events of the evening, we'll return to the filk room to sing all night, and listen to everyone else too.

Friday

11 AM: Get your strumming humming: Guitar Workshop. Barry Gold.

There's more to a guitar than strumming it. Learn proper tuning, and other guitar basics.

1 PM: Your Voice IS Your Instrument: Vocal Workshop. Joanna Cazden.

Good even for the beginner, important even for the greatly experienced. Learn good tricks for keeping your musical voice strong and healthy, work on harmonies, all while having fun.

4 PM: CONCERTS BEGIN

One Shots. M.C. Nick Smith.

Have you signed up yet? Sign up before 2 pm Friday to be part of the One Shot Concert Set. The latest new tune, the song begging to be freed from shy 4 am sings, the brightest flame from the last big con; any of these might be showcased on stage at the One Shots.

Roberta Rogow

Kathy Mar

EVENING

After our socializing, we'll return to the filk room to sing all night, and listen to everyone else too. Wait a minute, I hear you say ... "I just read that before!" True. But on Friday, we have...

THE DAWN PATROL

Sleep is for sissies! Those parties can't outlast us! Those gamers know who else stays up late. The dawn patrol keeps musical watch until the Coffee Shop reopens at 6 am. Then we go off to breakfast and coffee.

Saturday

11 AM: How is the Internet Affecting Filk? Moderator: Kathy Mar, Brett Glass, Steve Savitsky, Nick Smith.

The buzzword of the decade: has filk fandom even noticed? There's enough songs of computing to say "yes" but there's certainly more to say than that!

1 PM: More than Guitars Here! John Creasey, Doris Robin, Roberta Rogow, Scott Wilkinson.

Say the word "filk" and the image leaps to mind: sing along with the guitar! But there is a world of instruments out there, and we'll discuss them here. As audience, feel free to bring your own unusual instruments.

4 PM: CONCERTS BEGIN.

• Joanna Cazden and Scott Wilkinson
• Lee and Barry Gold
• Steve Savitsky
• The Los Angeles Filkharmonics
• Leslie Fish

EVENING:

Yep, we'll be singing all night once again. Many of us who aren't enamored of the Masquerade or other Saturday night events will be here, filking the night away.

THE DAWN PATROL:

That's right, whatever hardy souls survived the last one or want to give it another shot will once more filk until daylight returns.

Sunday

11 AM: Inspiration 101: New Songs Workshop. Kathy Mar.

Filk does not grow in a vacuum, it expresses the experiences of our fannish lives. We've had a great time at the convention so far, so there may be plenty of inspiration for a few new songs to arise.

2:30 PM: Being Recorded. Moderator Kathy Mar, Joanna Cazden, Brett Glass, Gerry Tyra.

It's really great to sing, but to be heard beyond the conventions the recordings are everything. It's a different world inside the tape - come learn about it, and how it might affect you.

4 PM: Long Song Blues: Filkish Oldies Singalong. Barry Gold, Kathy Mar, Nick Smith, Heather Stern.

We've heard 'em all before... well, actually, maybe we haven't. The longer songs are not all that popular at night-time filks anymore, but you'll catch references to them. This is your chance to enjoy these classics during the day.

UNTIL THE END.

Of course, we'll continue singing afterwards; tradition demands that we filk until the very end of the con! As the con fades we may join the fun in the consuite.

Crossovers - or: Filk Guests found in other programming

1 PM - 2:30 PM Friday, Kids Room: Your Costume Needs A Story.

Nick Smith.

10 AM - 11 AM Saturday, Main Programming: Crossing Genres.

Roberta Rogow.

4 PM - ? Saturday, Kids Room: Space Songs for Youngsters.

Kathy Mar in Concert.

Filk. I have heard many definitions -- "music for folk what ain't been born yet." "There was a typo in folk, they typed filk -- and it stuck." "The kind of folk music that folks like us sing." All these are true, and more...

If you enjoy music that has a science fiction, fantasy or science theme, then odds are pretty good that you enjoy filk. We are the kind of people who don't fit stereotypes -- although the typically described filker carries and plays a guitar, we have filkers that play an amazing variety of musical instruments, some that sing quite well, and one is no less a filker if one cannot carry a tune, but writes songs for others, or serves as an eager audience.

There will be workshops where you can learn more about songwriting and performance. We'll have panels where we'll discuss how we got here, and where filk is going next. If you enjoy the night more than day, stay all night and join the Dawn Patrol -- filk over breakfast in the coffee shop. Of course there will be concerts -- come listen to filk heroes like Roberta Rogow, the Filkharmonics, Kathy Mar, and Joanna Cazden. Sign up for the One Shots to take your own place in the spotlight!

Filking will be located in the North Tower, in the "Veranda" room (the former nightclub) near the elevators. I hope to see you there.

Heather Stern, Filk Committee

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