Our online song circles are usually organized as follows (Vancouver local time):
7:00 – 7:30 pm:
greetings; social, music & tech lounges
7:30 – 8:00 pm:
five Main Stage performers
8:00 – 8:30 pm:
first breakout rooms
8:35 – 9:05 pm:
second breakout rooms
9:05 – 9:30 pm:
featured guest(s) OR four more Main Stage performers
9:35 – 10:?? pm:
informal after-session
Thus, there are usually five or nine Main Stage spots available for 5-minute performances in front of the whole audience. Anyone wishing to be added to the list of potential Main Stage performers must email a request in reply to the Zoom announcement that goes out the day before; the request must be received by noon, Vancouver time, on the day of the event.
The MCs for the evening select the Main Stage performers using the following criteria:
- If a person has performed recently, they are less likely to be chosen for this evening. (There is no hard and fast rule, because it depends on how many people have sent in their request to perform this evening. In general, we try to choose regular attendees who haven’t performed recently.)
- Those wishing to perform will need to transmit video as well as audio, and must enable Zoom’s “Original Sound” feature if they are playing an instrument. They must be present in the Zoom session by 7:20 pm.
- Most of the five or nine performers will be our regularly-attending members.
- We try to make space for some special and/or faraway guests.
- We try to mix it up as much as possible. We keep in mind balances of gender, age, heritage, musical experience, performance style, etc.
Please note: If you are not selected for a Main Stage spot, you will still have multiple opportunities to sing (or play a tune or recite a poem) in the breakout rooms and the informal after-session.
Vancouver Folk Song Society 