Opportunities

Writers: Estelle, Francesca
Date Posted: 12th May 2024

Characters: Arrilon, Jayala
Description: Arrilon checks in with Jayala about his progress in the craft.
Location: Harper Hall
Date: month 8, day 3 of Turn 11
Notes: Mentioned: Tasni, Aleriand

Jayala

"Hello," Arrilon said, entering the Hallsecond's office and taking a
seat. He was feeling good about this meeting. While he had not made a
big breakthrough in his research, his conversation with Tasni had
given him some ideas. And, as far as he could tell, everything was
going well with his chamber group and teaching.

"Journeyman Arrilon." Jayala's expression revealed as little as usual,
but after a morning spent meeting with journeymen who could be
temperamental, over-confident or suspicious of a female Master, it was
pleasant to see one who gave her no cause for concern. Quite the
opposite, in fact. "Tell me, how have you been finding your woodwind
class with the apprentices? It's been a few months now, hasn't it?"

"Yes. It's been going well, I think." He had co-taught with Journeyman
Askalder for a few months before the other man had gone on a teaching
assignment. Three months as the sole instructor and nothing too bad
had happened. "Most of them have improved a lot. Ronera and Wistorl
show a lot of promise. Garfan and Zeralna are still struggling. The
hardest part of teaching has been trying to support all of them, when
they are in such different places. I guess any class will be like that
though."

"Yes, they are. Dealing with a class of mixed abilities is a skill
you'll develop with time," Jayala said. "Still, you seem to be handling
it well. Journeyman Askalder told me that he was leaving them in safe
hands, and the Master of Apprentices is also very pleased with their
progress." She thought for a moment. "How do you plan to deal with the
apprentices who are having difficulties? Would they need some extra
help, or do they need to make more of an effort themselves?"

Arrilon looked up to the ceiling for a few seconds, thinking. "Well,
Zeralna and two others need to work on their breathing. We spent a lot
of time on breathing exercises early on, but I don't think they've all
been practicing as much as they should. I don't really want to spend
more class time on this, since we have other things to work on, and
everyone else is doing pretty well. Maybe I should meet with the three
of them though to give another overview and try to help them
understand the importance of breathing." He realized his frustration
at their lack of progress in this area meant he had given up on
supporting them, when his role as their teacher was to do his best to
help them learn.

"To be honest, I don't think Garfan wants to put in the time to learn
an instrument. He has a beautiful voice, and his breath control is
actually one of the best because of it, but I don't think he practices
at all and doesn't really seem to care about the class. I don't know
how to motivate someone who doesn't really want to be there." Before
he started teaching, he had assumed all the students at the Hall would
be eager to learn and hard-working. While many of them matched these
expectations, he had also come across a few like Garfan who wanted to
specialize immediately rather than gain a broad training in the craft.

"Ah, yes." Jayala hadn't taught that apprentice herself, but she had
heard similar reports from others among the teaching staff. "Garfan is
capable of working when he wants to, or so I've heard from Master
Eilomar. He's doing better with the gitar, perhaps because he can
accompany himself singing, but needs to improve on percussion and in the
instrument-making workshop."

She thought for a moment. "You could explain that he needs to achieve
the required standard in all of his apprentice classes if he wants to
progress in the Craft, no matter how good a singer he is, and that if he
doesn't improve he's in danger of failing. If he really is being lazy
and not practicing at all, you could involve the Master of Apprentices.
Or, you could emphasize how playing woodwinds will improve his vocal
work. Not only breath control, but his understanding of melody and
phrasing. Perhaps you could assign him an instrumental version of one of
the songs he's working on. Ask him to take a sevenday working on it with
both voice and the recorder, and see what he learns. Or - a little of
both. Fear and motivation." She smiled. "You must use your judgement as
to which he needs most."

"Thank you. I like both ideas, and hope they work. If not, I'll speak
to the Master of Apprentices." He hadn't needed to escalate anything
yet, and preferred not to unless it felt truly necessary.

"What about the apprentices who are doing well?" Jayala asked, turning
to a more pleasant topic. "Do you think any of them are ready to try the
flute?" Apprentices usually started on the pipes or the recorder, but
she liked to see the most talented introduced to the flute as well.

This was more fun to talk about. "Ronera is top of the class and very
eager. I think she'd jump at the chance to start learning the flute.
Wistorl is also ready. I'm pretty sure he has already been playing the
flute a bit on his own." His father was a Master instrumentalist and
Wistorl seemed to be following in his footsteps. "And, I'm not sure if
she's quite ready yet, but I hope someone can assess Deresma. She was
really struggling at the beginning of the semester, but has really put
in the time and now is doing really well."

"That's good. I hear her gitar playing is coming on well, too," Jayala
said. "As it happens, I was planning to visit the apprentice
instrumental classes this month. It's been a while since I heard them
play." Between her duties as Hallsecond and dealing with the reports of
unrest in the Hold, she'd had little enough time for the apprentices.
They would be nervous to have a Master listening in, but less so than if
she summoned them individually, and nerves were a part of life as a
harper. "I'll listen to those three and let you know what I think. Even
if Deresma isn't quite ready for the flute, though, it might be worth
briefly showing her the basics." She smiled. "It'll give her something
to work towards."

Arrilon nodded. It felt good to have the Hallsecond take his ideas
seriously. And, it seemed a good moment to ask about something that
had been on his mind the past few sevendays. "I know I haven't been
teaching on my own for long, so it might be too early, but I would
like to go on a teaching circuit at some point. If I'm not ready yet,
I'd like to work to prepare." It was an aspect of the craft he was
eager to experience.

"Of course. If there's any difficulty, I expect it'll be that the Master
of Apprentices won't want to lose you as a teacher," Jayala said. She'd
had been planning to switch up the teaching assignments, moving some of
the more experienced journeymen into the areas where there were concerns
about activity against the Weyr, so a volunteer to join the teaching
circuits was welcome. "Let's see - you'll need to gain some experience
working with younger children first, which you can find at the Hold -
the harper there is always pleased to have assistance. And I'd suggest
brushing up on your charter law, since you'll get asked about legal
matters by the holders you visit. Perhaps in a couple of months - that
would give you time to hand over your woodwind class."

Arrilon listened closely to everything he needed to do in preparation
for joining a teaching circuit. At the Weyr, he had helped a bit with
some of the harper classes, but only intermittently, and he wondered
how different weyrbred and holdbred children behaved. And his charter
law was definitely rusty. Now he knew what to do in his down time when
in the archives. 'I can do all of that. And, I'm glad I have some more
time with the woodwind class." He had only recently felt like he was
getting into a good teaching rhythm. However, as nice as it was to
teach in the Hall, he didn't think it was his long-term goal in the
craft.

"I expect you'll want to see your flautists through their first lessons.
Let's meet again in a month or so and see how you're getting on with
your preparations." The Hallsecond made a note, then looked up. She
didn't offer praise easily, but nor did she stint when it was
well-deserved. "I've been hearing good things about your work,
Journeyman Arrilon. You've settled in very well at the Hall. Keep on as
you're going, and you'll find a lot of opportunities open up for you here."

The Hallsecond's praise made Arrilon practically giddy with
excitement, which was not a normal emotion for him. He had found the
transition to the Hall more challenging than expected, but felt he was
now hitting his stride. And, to have that noticed was an amazing
feeling. "I'm very glad to be here and will continue to work hard."

"That's all we ask." She even managed a small smile. "Is there anything
else you'd like to ask me about? Your work in the archives is going
well, I hope?"

"Well, I had come up with a research project, but I think I've run
into a dead end." He explained his attempt to learn about how the
plagues changed teaching practices at the Hall and the lack of old
records with relevant information. "Tasni actually suggested it might
be better to talk to harpers who lived through the plagues and see
what they remember, but that would be a completely different project,
so I'm not sure." He wanted to say more and mention Jayala's
grandmother but nerves stopped him. He hoped Jayala would arrive at
the idea on her own or even come up with a better option.

"That's not a bad suggestion. It would be a useful skill for you to
develop; interviewing people about their experiences and comparing what
they say with what you find in the records." Jayala considered the idea.
"Anyone who was a Master at that time would be very elderly by now, but
some of the current masters would have been senior apprentices or
journeymen - Master Talmune, for example. They wouldn't have had so much
influence on what was taught, but they would have seen any changes. My
own grandmother, Master Zahira, was a harper back then. I'm sure she
would relish talking to you - she has some very decided opinions,
particularly on the education of girls."

First Tasni, then Aleriand, and now Jayala thought getting out of the
archives and interviewing people was a good idea. And the Hallsecond had
confirmed Master Zahira was her grandmother. Arrilon felt both excited
his research could move forward and a bit nervous to interview other
harpers. However, he'd just need to push through the nerves. He knew he
wasn't up for promotion to senior journeyman yet but this could be an
important step in that direction.

"Talking to Master Zahira to start would be great. I'd be interested to
hear what she remembers." He thought for a moment. "Let me take a
sevenday or two to organize my notes and then I'll reach out to her."

"Good. I'd advise being well prepared," Jayala said dryly. She was
familiar with her grandmother's sharp tongue, but she also thought the
master would appreciate a young harper taking an interest in her
recollections of the plagues. "Well, I won't keep you any longer,
Journeyman. You've done very well, and I'm sure you'll continue to do so."

Arrilon took her advice to heart. "I'll definitely do my best." Even
though he still sometimes felt out of place at the Hall, having the
Hallsecond's approval helped give him the drive to continue working
hard. And, between preparing for a teaching circuit and this research
project, he had plenty to keep him busy.

Last updated on the May 13th 2024

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