Robyn Whystler

Persona

Robyn Whystler lives during the mid-to-late 16th century in England.

Whereabouts

Robyn currently resides in the Canton of Der Welfengau, in the Barony of Ramshaven.

Heraldry

Device: Or, perched on a wooden lyre a robin proper, a bordure gules semy of trilliums Or.
Badge: (Fieldless) Perched on a wooden lyre a robin proper.

Current Office(s)

Chatelaine - Canton of Der Welfengau (2021 - Present)

Past Offices

Minister of Arts & Sciences - Canton of Der Welfengau (sometime around 1997, 1998)

SCA History

Robyn joined the SCA in 1987 during his first year at the University of Guelph and immediately began playing music for dance and creating activities for children at events. Much later, he attended Pennsic as a merchant selling paper and printed items, pewter cast pendants, transverse flutes and rommelpots. After taking some time to be less active around 1999-2000, Robyn returned to attend the Known World Dance Symposium VII, and to bring friends to a Coronation in 2015.

Robyn became active again in 2019 only to have the plague intervene before he could start eventing again. This didn't prevent him from becoming Chatelaine of Der Welfengau in early 2021.

Interests

Robyn plays the following period instruments: recorder, flute, gemshorn, crumhorn, racket, rauschpfieffe, shawm, harpsichord, viola da gamba, moraharpa (keyed fiddle), harp, citole, rommelpot, Eunuch flute, and percussion instruments including jaw harp, tamborine, and various tabors, and doumbeks.

Robyn plays the following non-period instruments: domra (3 stringed lute), mandolin, lap dulcimer, ocarina, bowed psaltery, autoharp, clarinet, accordion, concertina, jingling johnny

Music
- Arranging, Composing, and Transcribing music
- instrumental (in consort and for dancing)
- Instrument Making
- Singing (casual, in parts (baritone))
- Teaching (history, instruments, musicianship)
Dance
- Arranging, Componsing, and Transcribing Dances and music for Dance
Printing (linocuts, eraser cuts, woodcuts)
Scribal
- Calligraphy
- Illumination
Woodworking (musical instruments, boxes, carving
Fibre Arts
- Weaving (card weaving, frame loom, cardboard loom)
- Knitting
Sculpting (clay, wood)
Costuming
Research
- Early Music Performance, Practice, Printing, and Instruments
- Dance
- Architecture
- Pottery

Awards

Award of Arms - July 14th, 1990 (Middle Kingdom)
Order of the Willow - November 17th, 1998 (Kingdom of the Middle)
Favour of Ramshaven - February 13th, 1999
Award of the Orion - April 29th, 2000
Award of the Guidon de Sang - November 18th, 2000
Award of the Guidon d'Argent - January 21st, 2023
Order of the Crucible - May 20th, 2023

Other Activities

Robyn has taught the following classes:

Renaissance Instruments (FITP VII)
Early Reed Instruments (FITP VIII)
Building a Friction Drum - Rommelpot - research and building hands on (FITP VIII)
Playing Two Recorders at Once (FITP IX)
A Ceramic Whistle - research and building, hands on (FITP X)
Toot Your Own Horn - research and building, hands on (FOOL XVI)

He designs for lasercutting, 3d printing, and virtual worlds. Some of his design is focused on period things (e.g. prototyping instruments, marginalia cut outs, Trillium Hall).