Dear Classical Wisdom Kids,
One of the things I love about the Classics is that it does not belong to any one group of people or exist only in one place. Whether in Australia or Argentina, Bangkok or Brazil, the US or the UK, there are classics lovers all over the world and I’m very fortunate to meet many of them on our various travels.
So when a young South Korean student named Gunhee reached out to me regarding a competition he is putting together about the Iliad, I was very excited and of course asked how I could help.
As such, today I have a very special invitation below for high school students with a passion for the Classics... so if you are one or know one, please pass this along and check it out!
All the best,
Anya Leonard
Founder and Director
Classical Wisdom and Classical Wisdom Kids
Classical Voices: The Iliad Worldwide
Overview
Those who love the classics can now revive the Ancient Greek oral tradition by Participating in Classical Voices: The Iliad Worldwide! The competition is open to all high school students, with the submission being a 5-minute video performing the Iliad. The finalists will then be invited to the 2024 NJCL Convention at Tennessee University for the final rounds on July 25th.
Classical Voices: The Iliad Worldwide has been opened in collaboration with Classical Wisdom and the National Junior Classical League, aiming to cultivate engagement with the classics among high school students.
Judging
The competition will be judged by professors at prominent universities: Professor David Elmer of Harvard, Professor Emily Austin of the University of Chicago, Professor William Johnson of Duke, and Professor Richard Martin of Stanford.
After submission, participants will be notified if they have made it to the final rounds of the competition via email by mid-July. Those who are finalists have the option to physically attend the 2024 NJCL convention in Tennessee or participate digitally. All competitors will receive a certificate of participation and the top three competitors will receive the awards in the following order: “Homer’s Laureate” Award, “Best Interpretation” Award, “Excellence in Oratory” Award.
About the Judges
Professor Emily Austin is an Associate Professor of Classics and the College at the University of Chicago, focusing on Homer, especially emotions. Her first book, Grief and the Hero: the Futility of Longing in the Iliad, explores the complexities of human emotions in the epic poem. Professor Austin is currently immersed in her second book project, Solitude and its Power in Ancient Greece, delving into the unconventional portrayal of solitude as positive in ancient Greek poetry.
Professor William Johnson is a Professor of Classical studies at Duke University, focusing on how literary pursuits intersect with culture in antiquity. His most recent publication, Typological Catalogue of the Ancient Roman Scribal Tool Known as a Bone Rule, is a database on an ancient device known as a “bone rule”, identified as a scribal tool.
Professor Richard Martin is the Antony and Isabelle Raubitschek Professor in Classics at Stanford University. He focuses on the interpretation of Greek poetry in the context of performance traditions and social practices, particularly on Homeric epic, Greek comedy, mythology, and ancient religion. His most recent publication, Mythologizing Performance, is a collection of essays that analyzes the ancient Greek poetic heritage through a comparative study of oral traditions, literary and speech-act theories, and ethnographic accounts.
Professor David Elmer is the Eliot Professor of Greek literature and Chair of the Classics Department at Harvard University. He is an expert in ancient Greek literature, with a particular focus on Homeric epics and later Greek novels. He is the author of numerous studies of the Homeric poems and other texts, including The Poetics of Consent: Collective Decision Making and the Iliad.
Participation
The competition is open to any secondary students. (If the current education system in which they are enrolled does not follow the standard 9-12 secondary grade system, participants between the ages of 14-18 can participate).
The Iliad Worldwide provides an opportunity for students to delve into ancient Greek literature, learning from its rich usage of language and rhythm, as well as engage with foundational themes of humanity such as destiny, honor, heroism, love, and purpose through vivid characters amid a legendary war. Narrating the Iliad is an opportunity to fully digest the contents of this literary masterpiece and demonstrate the ability to deliver its rich emotions and ideas through oration. Participation is also an excellent way to demonstrate your interest in the classics and mastery of oral performance.
No entry fee is required and entrants retain all publication rights.
Rules/Process
Participants select an excerpt from any iteration of the Iliad that is an English translation and perform it in a single, continuous shot (no jump cuts) that does not exceed 5 minutes in length.
Students will then submit a link to their video on YouTube by filling out this form.
A required performer’s statement on their submission must be included, which provides some context about their performance and reflection on their chosen excerpt. The performer’s statement factors into the judging. Participants may only make one submission. Submission will be open soon and will continue to be open until the end of June.
The excerpt does not have to be memorized. Although the competition requires the submission of a video, participants will be judged not for their visual performance but for their vocal performance alone.
FAQ
How do I submit?
Submit a YouTube URL of your submission through this link.
Read these two instructions for a guide on how to upload and share your video through YouTube.
What if I cannot upload a video to YouTube?
There will be an option to directly upload your video in the form. Please note that the file size must not exceed 1GB.
How long does the video have to be?
Submissions must be less than 5 minutes.
Do I need to have professional recording devices?
No, any recording device, including your phones or laptops, is acceptable.
How can I participate in the final rounds if I am selected?
You can either participate in person or online.
Is there an age restriction?
The competition is open to any secondary students. (If the current education system in which they are enrolled does not follow the standard 9-12 secondary grade system, participants between the ages of 14-18 can participate).
What is the due date?
The due date is June 15th, 2024
When will the finalists be announced?
Finalists will be announced in mid-July
Can I make more than one submission?
Participants may only make one submission.
Shucks, too bad we missed this. My son would've been interested :-)
I hope good things come from this...