FilKONtario

FilKONtario is a fan-run convention in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario area dedicated to filk, the music of science fiction and fantasy fandom. Established in 1991, it is the only filk convention in Canada.[1] In its fifth year (1995), the convention initiated the Filk Hall of Fame, which continues to recognize those who have made significant contributions to filk music and the filk community, worldwide. This international awards program is administered through FilKONtario, with an international jury.[2]

FilKONtario
StatusActive
GenreFilk music
Location(s)Ontario
CountryCanada
Inaugurated1991
Websitehttps://www.filkontario.ca

History

At the time FilKONtario was founded, there were only five filk conventions worldwide: Consonance (San Francisco area), ConChord (Los Angeles area, started 1983[3]), the Northeast Filk Con,[4] and Ohio Valley Filk Fest (Columbus area, started in 1984[5]), and the British Filk Con (started in 1989[6]). Heather Borean, the first conchair, wanted something a little closer to home and proposed the idea of founding a new con. The name is a concatenation of "Filk", "KON" (for "convention") and "Ontario." The early days of FilKONtario were a bit challenging. Attendance was low the first few years, but a feeling of relaxed inclusiveness, following the lead of the con's first year guests, Bill and Brenda Sutton, became the norm. In 1994, the convention drew a large crowd, with guest Kathy Mar, and has been quietly growing since that time.[7]

In the first year the convention mascot was established, which is a penguin with a guitar.[8][9]

Like most filk conventions, other than the Ohio Valley Filk Fest, FilKONtario is a small event, usually with about 130-150 attendees. Gradually the convention has grown from modest beginnings to offer programming Friday evening through Sunday afternoon, with requisite filk circles until the early morning, workshops in the mornings and a "Dead Penguin" (a play on "dead dog") sing Sunday evening. In addition, the guest roster has grown from a single guest of honour, to having a GoH, a Filk Waif, an Interfilk Guest and an occasional Special Guest, an author or artist from Southern Ontario. "Filk Waif" is an idiosyncratic term honoring the first waif, Mary Ellen Wessels, whom two of the concom members brought to the con at their expense because she couldn't afford it. (Hence, "waif".) The role is identical to Toastmaster.

In 2007, in cooperation with Interfilk and after two years of fundraising, FilKONtario's only guest was the n'Early Music Consort, a choir of sixteen performers from England. This is thought to be one of the largest guest slates offered at a small convention.

FilKONtario has been the honoured recipient of guests funded by Interfilk since 1994. Interfilk is an international arts charity registered as a 501(c)3 in California. FilKONtario is one of the recognized cons on that charity site.

Typical convention activities

Programming typically includes: Concerts, song-writing contests, workshops on guitar, voice, performance, etc., one-shots, dealers' room, a fund-raising auction for Interfilk, theme circles, and, especially, open song circles where everyone who chooses can sing and play, and listeners are especially welcome. The circles start in the late evening and go into the early hours of the morning, or later. There is an opening reception, and sometimes a CD release. Some children's programming is usually available.

Recording of the concerts and filks has been done since the first year of FilKONtario, resulting in the following releases, the first two on tape, the remainder on CD:

  • Make Believe (FilKONtario 1), Wail Songs[10]
  • Let's Have a Filksing (FilKONtario 2), Wail Songs[11]
  • Songs From FilKONtario 7: Why Can't Penguins Filk?, Love Song Productions, A Dozen Cats Studios (Savedsounds and USB Studios) [12]
  • Where the Magic is Real (FilKONtario 8), a joint production of FilKONtario and USB Studios[13]
  • Filk Dreams — music from FilKONtario 9, USB Studios[14]
  • Filk Memories — music from FilKONtario 10, USB Studios[15]
  • FilkNotes — the music from FilKONtario 11, USB Studios[15]
  • Filk Together — music from FilKONtario 12, USB Studios[15]
  • Triskaidekafilkia — music from FilKONtario 13, USB Studios[15]

Filk Hall of Fame

Inductions into the Filk Hall of Fame take place at the Saturday evening banquet. The Hall was created to honour "contributions to filk music and the filk community". Each year a jury reviews the nominations and votes anonymously for their selections. Once the votes are tallied, the Administrator contacts the inductees for the current year. The citations noting the inductees' contributions are read at the banquet, and those inductees present are given a copy of the citation and a plaque. These items are mailed to those not present.

The next day there is a concert in honour of the new Hall of Fame inductees. Each new inductee selects five pieces of music significant to him, her or them. These are performed at the concert.

There is additional extensive material about how to nominate and what constitutes contributions to the filk community on the Filk Hall of Fame web site. In addition there is a complete list of inductees and their citations.

Citation: Songs noted in citations for inductees to the Filk Hall of Fame were used as part of the empirical database for this academic article[16]

Outreach

The FilKONtario Concom (convention organizing committee) has twice produced the filk track at a Worldcon: At Torcon 3, 2003, Toronto, ON[17] and at Anticipation, 2009, Montreal PQ.[18]

In preparation for Anticipation, two of the concom developed a multi-media presentation called "From the Earth to the Moon: a celebration of manned space flight". This presentation included PowerPoint, live narration and live music, with many members of the concom and filkers who were present at the con. It was the keynote filk track item for Anticipation.

Since then the concom has staged "From the Earth to the Moon", four more times: FilKONtario 2010, a meeting of the USS Hudson Bay (a local science fiction fan club) June, 2010; SFContario, November, 2010; and ConFusion, January, 2011. The latter three were by specific invitation of the organizing group.

In addition a similar performance focusing on both manned and unmanned space exploration was performed at the invitation of the University of Toronto's Astronomy and Space Exploration Society presentation on 26 September 2009 as an opening act for keynote speaker Dr. David Charbonneau.[19]

Previous conventions

# Dates Location Guest of
Honour
Official
Filk Waif
Interfilk
Guest
Special
Guest
Songwriting
Contest
Hall of Fame Committee
1 Apr 12-14, 1991 Holiday Inn
Mississauga
Bill and Brenda Sutton -- -- -- A theme song for FilKONtario -- Heather Borean (chair), Howard Scrimgeour, Wayne Borean, Joan MacDougall, Terri Neal, Lidia Tremblay
2 Apr 10-12, 1992 Holiday Inn
Mississauga
Tom Smith -- -- -- Buttons and T-shirts -- Heather Borean (chair), Howard Scrimgeour, Lidia Tremblay, Wayne Borean, Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney
3 May 7–9, 1993 Holiday Inn
Mississauga
Michael Longcor Mary Ellen Wessels
(unofficial)
-- -- Aliens -- Heather Borean (chair), Howard Scrimgeour, Judith Hayman, Dave Hayman, Wayne Borean, Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney
4 Apr 15-17, 1994 Regal Constellation
Etobicoke
Kathy Mar Mary Ellen Wessels Heather Rose Jones -- Technology -- Heather Borean, Wayne Borean, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (chair), Howard Scrimgeour, Lynda Hurdis, Linda Baker
5 Mar 31-Apr 2, 1995 Holiday Inn Yorkdale
Toronto
Decadent Dave Clement Steve Macdonald -- -- To the Stars and Fools that Go Filk in the Night Bob Asprin
Leslie Fish
Off Centaur Publications
Heather Borean, Wayne Borean, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (chair), Howard Scrimgeour, Rob Sutherland, Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney
6 Apr 19-21, 1996 Venture Inn Airport
Etobicoke
Mary Ellen Wessels Barry and Sally Childs-Helton Steve Dixon -- Magic and Magicians Juanita Coulson
Julia Ecklar
Bob Laurent
Kathy Mar
Bill Maraschiello
Heather Borean, Carolyn Brown, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (chair), Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney
7 Apr 11-13, 1997 Venture Inn Airport
Etobicoke
Talis Kimberley Clif and Carol Flynt Doug Wu -- Songs based on written SF or Fantasy Lee and Barry Gold
J. Spencer Love
Margaret Middleton
Heather Borean (co-chair), Carolyn Brown, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (co-chair), Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney
8 Apr 17-19 1998 Travelodge Hotel
Toronto East
Heather Alexander John Hall Juliane Honisch and Katy Dröge -- A place you'd like to go to Rafe Culpin
Cynthia McQuillin
Erwin "Filthy Pierre" Strauss
Carolyn Brown (co-chair), Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Sally Headford, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Glenn Simser, Peggi Warner-Lalonde (co-chair), Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney
9 Mar 26-28, 1999 Quality Hotel
Toronto Airport,
Mississauga
Urban Tapestry Don Neill Harold Groot -- To Space Gary Anderson
"Decadent" Dave Clement
Mary Ellen Wessels
Heather Borean, Carolyn Brown, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (chair), Sally Headford, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Glenn Simser, Peggi Warner-Lalonde (co-chair)
10 Mar 31- Apr 2, 2000 Quality Hotel
Toronto Airport,
Mississauga
Larry Warner Diana Huey Scott Snyder -- Tricksters Zander Nyrond
Dr. Jane Robinson
Bill Roper
Heather Borean (co-chair), Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (co-chair), Sally Headford, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde
11 Mar 30-Apr 1, 2001 Quality Hotel
Toronto Airport,
Mississauga
Bill and Brenda Sutton Steve Simmons Erica Neely -- Mars and Beyond Gordon R. Dickson
Gytha North
Bill and Brenda Sutton
Heather Borean, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (chair), Sally Headford, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney
12 Apr 5-7, 2002 Four Points Toronto Airport
(Delta Toronto Airport West)
Mississauga
Joey Shoji Dave Weingart Anke Teschke Tanya Huff 1. A song based on Tanya's writing

2. Technology Past and Future

Lissa Allcock
Kirstin Tanger
Alan Thiesen
Heather Borean, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Sally Headford (chair), Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney
13 Mar 28-30, 2003 Delta Toronto
Airport West,
Mississauga
Dr. Jane Robinson and Cynthia McQuillin Mark Bernstein Robert Cooke -- Travellers of the Deep Karen and Poul Anderson
Barry and Sally Childs-Helton
Bob Kanefsky
Chris Malme
Heather Borean, Wayne Borean, Ingrid de Buda, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Sally Headford (chair), Lynda Hurdis, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney
14 Mar 26-28, 2004 Delta Toronto Airport West Michael Longcor Kathleen Sloan Blind Lemming Chiffon -- Based on written military SF Katy Droege and Juliana Honisch
Valerie Housden
Gary McGath
Heather Borean, Wayne Borean, Ingrid de Buda, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Sally Headford, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour (chair), Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Lloyd Penney, Yvonne Penney
15 Apr 1-3, 2005 Delta Toronto
Airport West,
Mississauga
Steve Macdonald Judith Hayman Carla Ulbrich Michelle Sagara Recycling in the Future Clif Flynt
Judith and Dave Hayman
Tom Smith
Heather Borean, Wayne Borean, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Sally Headford (chair), Lynda Hurdis, Ken Lalonde, Sue Posteraro, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde
16 Mar 31- Apr 2, 2006 Delta Toronto
Airport West,
Mississauga
Chris Conway Tanya Huff Judi Miller -- Tolkien's World Franklin Gunkelman
Steve Macdonald
Lois Mangan
Gretchen Roper
Heather Borean, Wayne Borean, Dave Hayman (chair), Judith Hayman, Sally Headford, Ken Lalonde, Sue Posteraro, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde
17 Mar 23-25, 2007 Delta Toronto
Airport West,
Mississauga
n'Early Music Consort
(a sixteen-person filk choir from England)
Harmony Chris (Keris) Croughton
Bruce Pelz
Kathleen Sloan
Heather Borean, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (co-chair), Sally Headford, Ken Lalonde, Sue Posteraro, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde (co-chair)
18 Apr 4-6, 2008 Delta Toronto
Airport West,
Mississauga
Vixy and Tony
(Michelle Dockery and Tony Fabris)
Bill Roper Marilyn Miller Heather Bruton Nightmares in the Dark Bob (Doc) and Anne Passovoy
Steve and Colleen Savitsky
Heather Borean, Jane Garthson, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (co-chair), Sally Headford, Lynda Hurdis, Ken Lalonde, Sue Posteraro, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde (co-chair)
19 Apr 3-5, 2009 Delta Toronto
Airport West,
Mississauga
Heather Dale Urban Tapestry Gerry and Sandy Tyra Robert J. Sawyer Space Games Erica Neely
Frank Hayes
Heather Borean, Jane Garthson, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Sally Headford (chair), Sue Jeffers, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde,
20 Apr 9-11, 2010 Delta Toronto
Airport West,
Mississauga
Jeff and Maya Bohnhoff Erica Neely William Mark Simmons -- Time Travel Jan Dimasi
Kristoph Klover
Mike Whitaker
Heather Borean, Jane Garthson, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Sally Headford, Sue Jeffers, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour (chair), Peggi Warner-Lalonde
21 Apr 1-3, 2011 Delta Toronto
Airport West,
Mississauga
Wild Mercy Karen Linsley Ghost of a Rose -- Coming of Age Ellen Kranzer
Howard Scrimgeour
Urban Tapestry
Jane Garthson, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Sally Headford, Sue Jeffers (chair), Tom Jeffers, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde
22 Apr 20-22, 2012 Delta Toronto
Airport West,
Mississauga
Kathy Mar Paul Estin Steve and Dorotha Biernesser -- The End of Time Tom Jeffers
Gary Ehrlich
Persis Thorndike
Jane Garthson, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (co-chair), Sally Headford, Sue Jeffers, Tom Jeffers, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde (co-chair)
23 Apr 19-21, 2013 Delta Toronto
Airport West,
Mississauga
Tim & Annie Walker Rand & Erin Bellavia Katt McConnell -- FANtastic Canada Cecilia Eng
Roberta Rogow
Volker Tanger
Jane Garthson (co-chair), Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (co-chair), Sally Headford, Sue Jeffers, Tom Jeffers, Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde
24 Apr 25-27, 2014 Delta Toronto
Airport West,
Mississauga
S.J. Tucker Gary Ehrlich Piers Cawley Lorna Toolis Music in Space Michael Longcor
Talis Kimberley
Kathy Hamilton
Jane Garthson, Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman (co-chair), Ken Lalonde, Howard Scrimgeour, Peggi Warner-Lalonde (co-chair)
25 Apr 16-19, 2015 Delta Toronto
Airport West,
Mississauga
Bill & Brenda Sutton
Talis Kimberley
Kari Maaren Nicole Dieker (Hello, the Future!) Heather Borean Silver Kay Shapero
Nick Smith
Steven Joel Zeve
Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Ken Lalonde (chair), Peggi Warner-Lalonde
26 Apr 9-10, 2016 Toronto
Airport West,
Mississauga
Cecilia Eng Peggi Warner-Lalonde Batya Wittenburg Animals in Space Mark Bernstein
Eli Goldberg
Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Ken Lalonde, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard
27 Apr 21-23, 2017 Toronto
Airport West Hotel,
Mississauga
Mike Whitaker Cat Faber Shawna Jacques Wandering the Digital Highway Gary Hanak
Judi Miller
Maya and Jeff Bohnhoff
Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Ken Lalonde, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard, Sally Headford
28 Apr 20-22, 2018 Monte Carlo
Inn Brampton Suites,
Brampton
Leslie Hudson Tim Griffin Sabine and Michael Kinder First Contact Sibylle Machat
Paul Willett
Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Ken Lalonde, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard, Sally Headford
29 Apr 12-14, 2019 Monte Carlo
Inn & Suites
Downtown Markham
Juanita Coulson Margaret Davis & Kristoph Klover Summer Loraine Russell Cosmic Hotels W. Randy Hoffman
Harold Stein
Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Ken Lalonde, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard, Sally Headford
30 Apr 24-26, 2020
(Postponed)
Monte Carlo
Inn & Suites
Downtown Markham
Stone Dragons The Blibbering Humdingers PDX Broadsides Back to the Moon Juliana McCorison
Rob Wynne
Blind Lemming Chiffon
Dave Hayman, Judith Hayman, Ken Lalonde, Peggi Warner-Lalonde, Morva Bowman, Alan Pollard, Sally Headford

From the FilKONtario program book archive.[20][21]

References

  1. Robert Sawyer comments on his appearance at Filkontario
  2. From Ties and Tails to Dead Penguins: FilKONtario 8 Revisited By Lloyd Landa, The Voyageur June 1998.
  3. "NEFilks Past". Archived from the original on 2016-04-22. Retrieved 2016-10-23.
  4. OVFF History
  5. Past British Cons
  6. D. Hayman, FKO Treasurer
  7. FilKONtario 20
  8. blog entry by a former FilKONtario convention organizer
  9. Wail Songs Catalogue
  10. Wail Songs Catalogue
  11. Why Can't Penguins Filk? (CD). Nepean & Whitby, Ontario: A Dozen Cats Studios. 2003.
  12. USB Studios
  13. USB Studios
  14. Tatum, Spoo & Pope, Does Gender Influence Attitudes Toward Copyright in the Filk Community, 18 American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & Law (2010)
  15. Torcon 3 Program Book
  16. Anticipation Program Book
  17. FilKONtario Program Book Archive
  18. Hall of Fame Archive

Sources

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