Yaninus de Venoix
Yaninus (a.k.a. Yani) is a young trouvère from Venoix, a small village outside of the port-city Caen of northern France. He often travels to the nearby town of Arras to compete in the Puy d'Arras, a musical contest renowned throughout 13th century France, usually accompanying himself on the drum or the vielle.
He is an active member of the Bards of An Tir and the An Tir Players. Yani is the child of Mistress Alisaundre ni Feidhlimidh dal gCais and Master Leith Amhranai dal gCais. Though his persona is from the 13th century, he engages in some later-period pursuits, performing 16th century clavichord music and Shakespeare.
Clavichord
Raised as a bard all his life, Yani often regretted that his primary instrument was neither period nor portable. He has been playing the piano since age 5. Around 2014, however, he realized that there is period keyboard music, and those keyboard instruments are considerably more portable than a modern pianoforte. He entered a 16th century keyboard Fantasia in the 2015 Kingdom Bardic Championship, and it was the highest scoring single entry of the Bardic Championship that year. You can read the documentation here: https://www.academia.edu/15023904/Clavichord_Fantasia_by_John_Mundy
He has continued researching both solo and accompanying clavichord music, as well as hammered dulcimer.
Trouvère
Yaninus also researches and performs early French music from the troubadour era, taking advantage of his fluency in modern French to gain expertise in Old French.
Shakespeare
Yani has been an active member of the An Tir Players since its founding. He has performed as Puck in Midsummer Night's Dream, Miranda in the Templest, Arlecchino in a Commedia dell'Arte production, Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing, Malvolio in Twelfth Night, and various smaller parts over the years.
Bards of An Tir
Yaninus is one of the founding members of the Bards of An Tir. He served for two years as the An Tir Youth Bardic Deputy, advocating for youth inclusiveness and participation in bardic activities. He has often played court music with his parents over the years.
Combat
He began to participate in Youth Armored Combat in 2014. After years of irregular practice, he grew more serious about heavy fighting over the summer of 2018, after turning 18, and has been attending practice consistently ever since.