Genevieve la Minstrelle
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Genevieve la Minstrelle, formerly Genevieve de l'Argout. Mistress Genevieve was elevated to the Order of the Laurel for Performance Arts on May 5, 2012 by Sven III and Cassandra I at the Warbands Event on Valley Azure (Maui).
Persona
Genevieve was born in the late 14th century in the Foret de Broceliande (the source of the Arthurian legends), France. She studied music at a neighboring monastery, specializing in the vielle and rebec. Because Broceliande is Celtic in origin, she was able to study that genre of music extensively. One day she was practicing in the forest, and a group of traveling minstrels happened by and convinced her to join them. Since that time, she has travelled throughout much of Europe and the Known World, entertaining royalty and villagers alike. Her favorite band to accompany is Wolgemut.
Her motto is "Accordez-le ou mourez"..."Tune it or Die".
Associates
Offices & Positions
- Palatine Baronial A & S Champion, Western Seas 11/23/2013 - present
- Minister of Arts and Sciences, Western Seas, 10/2011-10/2013
- Palatine Baronial A & S Champion, Western Seas 4/2011 - 10/22/2011
- Palatine Baronial Consort, Western Seas 11/2003 - 5/2004
Event Staff
- autocrat, Castlenorth Campout! February 7-10, 2014
- autocrat, Castlenorth Festival December 8, 2013
- co-autocrat, Castlenorth Prize Tourney, Painting Competition, 2012 and 2013
- entertainment for 12th Night, 2002 to present
- autocrat, 12th Night 2006
Competitions
Pentathlon 2013 - 2nd Runner-up
- 2nd Place Artisan, Performance Arts: Other (instrumental and song), Danse Ballade and Dame a Vous Sans Retollir (virelai),compositions by Machaut
- 1st Place Journeyman, Performance Arts: Dramatic Reading (exerpt from Christine de Pizan's "The City of Ladies")
- 1st Place Journeyman,Compositional Arts: Research Paper (Christine de Pizan)
- 1st Place Journeyman, Compositional Arts: Song (instrumental composition of Christine de Pizan's Ballade LXVII based upon the musical style of Guillaume de Machaut)
- 2nd Place Journeyman, Period Construction: 14th C. linen cotte and chemise based upon Christine de Pizan illumination
- 2nd Place Journeyman, Functional Arts: 14th C.leather shoes
- 1st Place, Apprentice, Visual Arts: Illumination 1 of Christine de Pizan
- 2nd Place, Apprentice, Visual Arts: Illumination 2 of Christine de Pizan
Pentathlon 2011
- 1st Place Journeyman, Compositional Arts:Song
- 1st Place Apprentice, Fiber Arts: Period Construction
- 2nd Place Apprentice, Functional Arts: Leather: Shoes
- 2nd Place Artisan, Performance Arts: Instrumental Performance
- 2nd Place Journeyman, Visual Arts: Illumination
Estrella War XLI, A&S Competition
- 1st place, Instrumental Music
Projects & Publications
- author, "Christine de Pizan: A Medieval Voice for Women with a Musical Arrangement of One of Christine’s Poems in the Style of Guillaume de Machaut", The Creative Anachronist, January 2014
- author, “The 13th Century-Style Estampie: Music Composition and Performance”, Ars Caidis Performance Arts, 2012 Issue 1
- pending publication - "Empowerment of the Medieval Woman in 'The City of Ladies'", Tournaments Illuminated
Classes Taught
- Class, Medieval Dance Tunes on the Mandolin (2011 - present, on-going)
- Class, Painting with Period Pigments (2011 - present, various events in Western Seas)
- How to Play Medieval Dance Music by Ear, Great Western War 2011
- How to Play Irish/Scottish Dance Tunes by Ear, Great Western War 2011
A&S Photos
Demo display showing some of the entries for Pentathlon 2011: hand-made cotte, illumination on vellum using period pigments,and musical composition based upon a 13th C Illumination of a musician (Morgan Bible). Also displayed are instruments that are frequently performed on (hurdy gurdy, rebec, fiddle) 2011
Playing the rebec wearing the hand-made cotte from the 13th C. illumination (prior photo) 2011
Pentathlon 2013 entry - late 14th C turn shoes decorated with engraved strawberry leaves (from "Shoes and Pattens", Museum of London, Grew & de Neergaard, p. 34)
Genevieve as Christine de Pizan (c.1364-1431) at Pentathlon 2013
Pysanky by Genevieve
Other Photos
Genevieve and Sir Richard of Castlenorth, Palatine Baron and Baroness of Western Seas, April 2011 – October 2011.
More Information
A present status and history of musical compositions and performances may be found on my website at
