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Letter of Recommendation here
Extensive CV below
CV - 2010 Charlotte Peters Rock
telephone +44 (0)156 572 2738
email: charlottepetersrock@tiscali.co.uk
Main Web Site: http://charlottepetersrock.blogspot.com/
Born - Birmingham, England
Began to write - and then perform - about 30 years ago.
Computer literate. I design and update web sites.
Updates between 2002 and 2010
Have continued to publicise the sacrifice of those who served at RAF Cranage during WW2
Have continued to perform and take part in Llandudno Victorian Extravaganza First May Bank Holiday each year. Portraying figures from history such as:
a Suffragette (2007)
one of Rebecca’s angry 'daughters' (2008)
a Newsboy telling the Disaster of the Royal Charter(2009)
Queen Elizabeth of Roumania (2010)
Lady Henrietta Augusta Mostyn (2011)
Newly, in 2010 - I ran an extensive Fringe Event, composed of displays of stories and songs on walls, fences, hedges, up trees and in windows, etc
Goostrey Arts Fringe - 02/03 - 20 October 2010 - took place as displays on the walls of the Crown and the Red Lion. Also at the Trading Post and Goostrey Home and Leisure Craft Centre. Goostrey Community Primary School had extensive displays right around both playgrounds, on fences, walls, trees etc.There wwre also more displays on the Main Road,with the Amazon as a main theme.
Northern Rail hosted a full a display on Goostrey Railway Station.
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WRITING Poet/Performer - Singer/Songwriter - Content broad-ranging. Including history from across the world, from the present to the distant past. Songs mainly based on Old and New English Folk song tradition - but not exclusively.
Competences
1. create original writing around chosen historical subjects and places
2. initiate writing by others, of all ages and abilities
3. perform, before children, teachers, mixed-age audiences and international guests
4. teach the art of performance, to both children and adults
5. lead public performances
6. write, design and exhibit work in many venues, both as Framed Exhibitions and 'Poetry Explosions'
7. initiate design and display by students.
8. design and mount displays of students' work
9. promote and organise poetry events alone or with colleagues
10. work on Committees which organise literary and music events
11. write on The Art of Poetry in arts magazines
12. perform poetry and songs on local and regional radio
13. conduct Seminars and Workshops at University level and for Teachers and Lecturers.
14. publicise events on a local, national and International scale
Numbered Content:
1 Single Venue Exhibitions Special Exhibitions of Poetry at Public Events across various towns and cities in UK and Internationally
2 Special Events Other Events
3 Broadcasting - Published work - Committees
4 Poetry publications and books of poetry
5 Committees
6 Comments received on
Along the Silk Route
Flying Free
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SINGLE VENUE EXHIBITIONS OF MY POETRY- framed and unframed - mostly for one month at each venue - though some exhibitions were longer. In that case, the poems exhibited were changed each month. Each exhibition consisted of up to 300 poems - depending on the amount of wall space available. Each poem was chosen vary carefully with the consideration that all ages and kinds of people were likely to read it, during the month of the display.
2002 By special invitation of Dr Lyubov Ivanovna Sokirkina, Head of Department of English and Multicultural Studies, Saratov State University - and Conference Director of the National Association of Teachers of English (from across the Russian Federation), NATE - exhibition of my poetry and songs for the Conference. Called Poetry Broadcast - The Whole World Over, it included many poems and songs from throughout history and across the world - including English dialect poetry and song, child poems, animal poems - and others about Russian history, particularly during World War 2. (January/February).
By invitation of Pro-Vice Chancellor on Research, Professor A A Sytnik, Saratov State University, and of the Conference Director - Exhibition of my poetry and songs, Poetry Broadcast - The Whole World Over, (History section), for the Conference: Museums and Information Technology. (February).
2001 Exhibition of my poetry and songs at The English Centre, Saratov University, Volga Region, Russia. Called Poetry Explosion The Whole World Over. 13th May - 30th June.
Exhibition, Salty Tales and Undercurrents, (with Alan Collinson) - at The Cottage Loaf, Llandudno - a Llandudno Festival Fringe Event - (June/July)
2000 Exhibition, Inns, Chandlers and Undertakers, (with Alan Collinson) - at The Cottage Loaf, Llandudno - a Llandudno Festival Fringe Event
1999 Exhibition, The Poetry Explosion - at The Cottage Loaf, Llandudno - a Llandudno Festival Fringe Event 1998 All exhibitions of my poetry, below in this section, were for one month. They were in Main Town Libraries, (unless otherwise stated), in Cheshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Greater Manchester and North Wales.
By request of Louanne Collins, Director of Macclesfield Museums Trust, and her Education Officer, I wrote poetry based on The Marianne Brocklehurst Collection at West Park Museum, Macclesfield; also it spanned the whole time - and place - of Ancient Egypt. It was exhibited as 'Marianne's Treasure Trove', and linked to performances and workshops, which I ran at West Park Museum. This exhibition was extended for one month, at the same venue, into a new exhibition of my poetry, which was based on world history and archaeology. It was called, 'Out of Egypt and into History'. I mounted further exhibitions at Llandudno Central Library and The Cottage Loaf, Llandudno, as Llandudno Festival Fringe Events- for the month, in celebration of National Poetry Day.
1997 This was a very busy year for mounting exhibitions - which I would not like to repeat. Venues included Holmes Chapel*, Wilmslow*, Macclesfield*, Glossop, Wath-on-Dearne, Sheffield City Centre, Knutsford, Crewe and Macclesfield.
To celebrate the month of National Poetry Day, I mounted 15 exhibitions of my poetry, across Lancashire, Cheshire and North Wales, for the month, (up to 300 poems in each). They were at the full Library complex in and around Lancaster and Morcambe; also at New Mills, Alsager, Chester City Centre, and Middlewich.
By request of Gill Entwistle, Lancaster Library Network Area Librarian - exhibitions at all 10 libraries in the Network, at Lancaster Central, Morecambe Central, Bolton-le-Sands, Carnforth, Heysham, Hest Bank, Caton, Halton, Silverdale and Warton. And at The Cottage Loaf, Llandudno - a Llandudno Festival Fringe Event During November, I set up a second exhibition, (extended, by request of The Arts Librarian, into my third exhibition, for the whole of December; with a complete change of poems), at The Language and Literature Library, Manchester Central Reference Library - a Manchester Poetry Festival Event
I mounted a second exhibition at The Pump House Museum of People's History - a Manchester Poetry Festival Event. And another, which ran for two months at The Heritage Centre, Knutsford
1996 (*By Request of Barbara West, Library Area Manager) At Poynton*; and - to celebrate National Poetry Day - at Alderley, Bradford Central, Congleton* and The Language and Literature Library of Manchester Central Reference Library. A framed exhibition at The Pump House Museum of People’s History - a Manchester Poetry Festival Fringe Event
1995/1996/1997 Long term framed exhibitions of my poetry, at various venues; changed every few weeks - at Telford's Warehouse, Chester; The Hawk Inn, Haslington; The Newton and Kings Arms, Middlewich; The Frog and Tommy Duck's, Manchester: The Puzzle Hall, Sowerby Bridge; Doctor Brown's, Huddersfield; Oscar's, Macclesfield;
FREE-RANGING EXHIBITIONS OF MY POETRY, AT PUBLIC EVENTS ACROSS VARIOUS TOWNS AND CITIES, AS NAMED BELOW usually consisting of a range of 6 - 32 different poems - chosen - and sometimes written - especially for public display at each particular festival. By agreement with owners of Public Buildings, prominent Shop Windows, Cafes, Information Centres, Arts Centres etc. my poems were displayed where the general public could read them, for at least one month. (Did they read them? Oh yes! - sometimes for up to a year)
1995 October - My poetry exhibited as ‘The Poetry Explosion’ at 100+ venues all over Manchester City Centre - including libraries, Free Trade Hall etc. - a Manchester Poetry Festival Fringe Event
Also exhibited at 50+ venues all over Chester - a Chester Literature Festival Fringe Event
Also exhibited at 18 venues in Newcastle-under-Lyme - a Six Towns Literature Festival Fringe Event
1996 October/November - and separately to the above My poetry exhibited as ‘The Poetry Explosion’, at 100 public venues all over Manchester City Centre - Official Display Poet to Manchester Poetry Festival
1997 My poetry exhibited at 65 public venues in Buxton Town Centre, to publicise the festival - Official Display Poet to Buxton Festival Fringe My poetry exhibited as ‘The Poetry Explosion’, at 50+ public venues all over Lancaster - for Lancaster Library Service
1999 My poetry exhibited as ‘The Poetry Explosion’, at 100 sites across the Borough of Conwy - Official Display Poet for Llandudno Festival Fringe
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SPECIAL EVENTS
2002 January/February - RUSSIAN FEDERATION Invited by Conference Director - Dr Lyubov Ivanovna Sokirkina to Conference of National Association of Teachers of English (Russian Federation), (NATE), held at Saratov State University, Saratov, Volga Region, Russian Federation.
Sunday, 27th January - 12.45-13.45 - Building X Room 503WORKSHOP 1 - Presenting a Living Language. A workshop on Dialects of The British Isles, including past and present English usage in Britain.
Monday, 28th January - 14.30 - 16.30 - Building X Room 108SEMINAR - during panel 1 of the joint NATE and ECA discussions Global English for Global Understanding, presented a paper A Healthy Mongrel Tongue - Learn English? What for? Covering the entire history, spread - and change - of the English language
Wednesday, 30th January - 10.00-11.00 - Building X Room 202 WORKSHOP 11Presenting a Living Language - A workshop of English from Britain, covering dialects, British history, world history, Russian history and excitements of the language.
5th - 9th February Building IX - Room 218by invitation of Saratov State University Pro-Vice Chancellor on research, Professor A A Sytnik, and the Conference Director
CONFERENCE - Museums and Information Technology
Wednesday, 6th February Building IX - Room 218 - 13.00
PAPER TO CONFERENCE Using Museums and Information Technology to bring history to life, in poetry and songs
Detailing the use which I - and others - make of the information which museums, across the world, hold and enter onto the internet, for use.
OTHER SEMINARS, TALKS AND CONTACTS DURING THIS VISIT.
Visits to three Secondary Schools - to speak and discuss the history of the English Language - and to perform my poetry and songs.
School No. 34 - also presented a set of my songs about Russian Women flyers, who fought in combat during WW2 to the only Museum devoted to these fliers.
Gymnasium No. 3 - also presented copies of my poetry/songs.
Physico-Technical School - Lyceum No 1 - also presented copies of my poetry and songs etc.
Also SEMINARS - for students and teachers of Saratov State University and teachers from Saratov Oblast - Speaking on history of the world - and Russia - and of the English Language. Discussions and performance of my poetry and songs.
Also The House of Culture - Visit - by arrangement - to exchange music and information about folk music and customs in Britain and Russia.
Also visits to speak, discuss and perform poetry and songs to private classes of students of English, in various parts of the city.
2001 8th - 22nd May Invited to Saratov University, Volga Region, Russia, to conduct Seminars on English Folk Festivals, Traditions of English Folk Song; and to perform and discuss my own Folk Songs and Poetry. I conducted 32 hours of Seminars during one week, and was invited back to work with National Association of Teachers of English (NATE), at their Conference which will be held during January/February 2002.
2002 29th August - 5th September - Mut zur Ethik Conference, Feldkirch, Austria - Invited to Speak to Conference, about the British Foot & Mouth disaster and perform my song Foot & Mouth - Pie in the Sky. Also wrote and sang Sweet Water (about mis-use of the world's water resources) and Building Norilsk, (about slave labour used to build this Arctic City).
November Invited Mut zur Ethik Conference in Wil, Switzerland and Germany,to speak on the situation of refugees - in particular in respect of Afghans - and to sing two songs about this, Afghans and Don't Kill the Starving
2000 July - Stokesay Castle - for Shropshire County Museum Services - designed, wrote and performed my poems, stories and songs at a special event for English Heritage Week-end. This event was staged inside The Great Hall of Stokesay Castle; a fine Medieval Castle with a Jacobean Gatehouse. A mixed range audience was lead through the entire history of the castle, its inhabitants, its area and its relationship to English history of the times, from 1000AD to the present day, by the use of my original songs, poems and stories.
As a spin-off this work was extended into local schools, where pupils were also invited to write their own work and understand how medieval history related to the entire panoply of world history and their personal history. Again this was approached using poems, songs and stories, taking in Roman, Greek, Viking, Celtic and other periods.
1998,1999 & 2000 - Mythstories Museum, Shrewsbury - I gave performances of my poem-stories and songs, on various dates, at the museum, to museum staff and managers, and the general public. Poem-stories were taken from three of my poem series - Along the Silk Route - Celts, Romans and Vikings - American Time Slip.
By invitation, I gave performances of poetry and song, at various venues around Shrewsbury Town Centre, during the 'West End Words' Literature Festival.
1998 & 1999 - For Macclesfield Museums Service - wrote and performed poetry and songs, based on The Marianne Brocklehurst Collection of Egyptology, which is housed in West Park Museum. Initiated writing and performance in children from a series of local schools. Led their performances before teachers, museum staff and managers, The Mayor and other Civic Dignitaries. Also set-out , printed and published numerous bound copies of their work for presentation and sale at their school.
1998 July - October Creative Arts Partnership in Education Project (CAPE) - working with senior students at Egerton Park High School (now Arts College), Manchester, for CAPE. Prepared 60 Year 10 Humanities students, to investigate and write around a Geography Project, as Resident Poet. Accompanied them to Castleton, in The Peak District, where we studied the geography, history and mythology of the area, and specifically of Peak Cavern, where rope-makers lived and worked for 150 years, in spite of the fact that the whole cavern flooded to the roof, regularly. The rope was for use in the local lead mines. We wrote songs, poems and stories following the visit. I introduced them to computer-aided design and display techniques and helped them to set out their work in a pleasing manner; and organized and mounted a grand exhibition of all their work in the Amanda Jane Turner Suite. Coached a chosen few in performance techniques, and led them in a performance for school managers and international guests.
Main site
Poetry site Song site Child Poems site Exhibition photographs
OTHER EVENTS WHICH I ORGANIZED - AND SOME AT WHICH I PERFORMED
2001 August- Cottage Loaf, Llandudno - Performance
Market Drayton Folk Festival - Guest Performer
October
Worked with poet, Vernon Scannell, performing his poetry for Knutsford Literature Festival
Cottage Loaf, Llandudno - Performance
Ran Northwich Folk Club
December
Cottage Loaf, Llandudno - Special Christmas Performance - by invitation.
2000 Invited back to perform at The Victorian Extravaganza, Llandudno.
Performed at the newly inaugurated literature festival in Knutsford, alongside authors such as P D James, Nina Bawden, Joanna Trollope, Margaret Drabble, etc - Knutsford Literature Festival Event
Performed at The Cottage Loaf, Llandudno, and organized two large parties to celebrate the start and end of The Fringe; also performed again at The Belmont Hotel - Llandudno Festival Fringe Events
1999 By request, I performed my poetry and songs at The Victorian Extravaganza, Llandudno
I organised two Folk and Poetry Events - by request - at Nantwich Canal Boat Festival - Nantwich Boat Festival Events
I performed at The Cottage Loaf, Llandudno; and at a Le Café in Craig-y-Don; at The Library and The Belmont Hotel; in all giving 9 separate performances, two of which were large parties for performers, to celebrate the start and end of The Fringe - Llandudno Festival Fringe Events
1998 - By request of The Chief Librarian, Lynne Jones, I ran a Creative Writing and Performance Workshop at Llandudno Public Library, North Wales - under Academi Cymraeg (the Welsh Arts Board) - a Llandudno Festival Fringe Event
Performed my poetry and songs at The Ocean - Lounge, North Wales Theatre, Llandudno.
At The Cottage Loaf, Llandudno, Performed and ran Performance Parties for other performers. I also performed at two cafes and at The Belmont Hotel, (for blind and partially-sighted people) - Llandudno Festival Fringe Events
Organized and performed - with others - in a public poetry performance event on The Moor, in Sheffield; also entertained The Mayor and Mayoress of Sheffield - an Off The Shelf Festival Event
Organised and performed - with others - a public poetry performance event in Market Square, Lancaster - a Lancaster Lit-Fest Fringe Event
1997 Performed at Telford's Warehouse, Chester (Arts venue), The Everyman Theatre Bar, Liverpool (Poetry venue), The Irish Centre, Liverpool (Poetry venue), and at The Bluecoat Gallery with Liverpool Poets Performed with Puzzle Hall Poets at The Puzzle Hall, (Poetry venue), Sowerby Bridge; and at Buxton Museum with The Milton’s Head Poets- for Buxton Fringe Festival
Organised and performed - with Chester Writers and The Salt Town Poets - at The River Band Stand, Chester, as a summertime public performance
I studied poetry writing at Ty Newydd, Taliesin Trust, North Wales - with Kevin Crossley-Holland and John Lyons; and ran poetry writing and performing workshops at The Cornerhouse (Arts Centre), Manchester.
I ran poetry writing and performing workshops around the costume displays at Platt Hall Museum Costume History, Manchester.
I organized and ran Manchester Children's Charity Poetry Marathon, Arndale Manchester, over 6 hours, at The . Arndale Centre, Manchester. Centre, as a charity event - audience over 10,000. I MC'd (with help) and performed at little at this event. Other performers were Manchester children, whom I had encouraged by running free writing and performing events, at libraries across the area, in conjunction with Manchester City Library Services. They performed their own poems. Other performers were our special guests, Councillor and Mrs Carroll, The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Manchester, who each arrived with a poem to perform; Professor Cary Cooper of Manchester University of Science and Technology, who performed a selection of poems which were enhanced with visual aids; Mr Walter Kershaw, the renowned mural artist, who performed and stayed to draw other performers; Antigua Joe, poet and calypso singer, who sang and performed and was an indefatigable MC; Bernard Aaron, composer of classical music, who played for us; Michele McKay and Fran Devine, Education Librarians, who performed children's poetry and promoted the Manchester Library Services, to the general public, Peter Hood and Linda Edwards, folk singers; singers; Clive Hopwood, Storyteller; Levi Tafari, rap poet; and others. - a Manchester Poetry Festival Event
By invitation, I ran poetry writing, performance and display workshops for local school children, at Buxton Library, Derbyshire, leading to a performance at the library and a schools display for National Poetry Day.
By arrangement with Chester City Council, I organized and ran a public performance event at The Town Hall Square and The Old Crosses, Chester, with other poets from Liverpool Poets, for National Poetry Day
1996 Organized and performed at The Last Hour, Withington, Manchester - June/October - with our new group of Over the Road Poets
Performed my poetry and songs, at The Wilbraham Arms, Nantwich - a Nantwich Folk Festival Event
Organized Chester Writers and The Salt Town Poets into a public poetry performance, in The Grosvenor Centre, Chester. Also performed my own work. - a National Poetry Day Event
Ran a Poetry Workshop and Performance Event at Telford's Warehouse, Arts Centre Chester - a National Poetry Day Event
Performed for Chester Writers, at The Stafford Hotel, Chester - a Chester Literature Festival Event
A Winner of "Out Loud" A Performance Poetry Event, organised by Bradford Public Libraries - Judge, Ian McMillan
Performed my poetry at The Platform, Central Library, Bradford
Organized and ran a 12 hour Poetry Marathon, Parrs Wood, Manchester - for charity - with Manchester Poets and other poets of all ages. Special Guest, Les Barker - a Manchester Poetry Festival Event
Organized, and ran, ‘John Lyons and Local Poets in Performance’, at The Victoria, Manchester, - a Manchester Poetry Festival Event.
1995 Founder member of The Salt Town Poets
October - - organised and MC'd BBC, Radio Stoke Poetry Evening at Shraleybrook - also performed
Organized and performed with two other North-West Poets at Dukes 92, (First Fringe Performance Event of Manchester Poetry Festival )
Performed at Selwyn's Poetry Fringe, Manchester - a Manchester Poetry Festival Fringe Event Also, during these years I have performed at poetry and folk venues, right across the North of England and Wales.
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BROADCASTING etc
2002 - January/February - appeared in performance on Saratov Broadcasting Service and Saratov TV (Russian Federation)
Local and regional radio and television, in various parts of England, on numerous occasions during the past few years.
1997 - Awarded the Oppenheim-John Downes Memorial Trust Bursary - in recognition of my poetry writing - and to further my display work, to bring understandable poetry to the general public.
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PUBLISHED IN POETRY PUBLICATIONS
Tandem
Psychopoetica - Hull University
Poetry and Audience - English Department, Leeds University
Poetry Manchester
South Magazine - and numerous others
Also Manchester Evening News
PUBLISHED WORKS
TIME TRAVEL - 1 - Along the Silk Route
TIME TRAVEL - 2 - Celts, Romans & Vikings
TIME TRAVEL - 3 - American Time Slip
TIME TRAVEL - 4 - Marianne's Treasure Trove
Living in the World (long poem - possibly unique rhyme scheme?)
Child Poems - books 1 and 2
Flying Free CD - 15 songs and 3 poems
Also shared space on
The Millennium Tapes (2)
and
The Millennium CD for Northwich Folk Club
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COMMITTEES ON WHICH I HAVE WORKED 1997/8 - Buxton Festival Fringe
1999/2000 - Llandudno Festival Fringe
2000/? - Chester Folk Festival
2001/2009 - Knutsford Literature Festival
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COMMENTS RECEIVED - in respect of performance, poetry and songs
1995 (work) ..like that of Edith Sitwell.. - Professor Germaine Greer - Royal Exchange Theatre (work)..like Stevie Smith.. - Steven Waling, journalist, City Life, (Manchester arts magazine)
1998 October - CAPE Project, (following a study by National Foundation for Educational Research)
Press Release - March, 1999 - see web site at http://www.arts.orguk/directory/regions/north_west/what_happ/19990309.html "Kids Get Creative in Manchester and Leeds" (The key partners are North West Arts Board, Yorkshire and Humberside Arts Board, Leeds LEA, and the Greater Manchester LEAs Salford, Trafford, Tameside and Manchester. Cape also receives funding from the European Social Fund, the Lottery Arts for Everyone Fund and the Granada Foundation) Ref: Egerton Park High School, Denton, Manchester In Geography, poet Charlotte Peters Rock accompanied Year 10 students on a field trip to Castleton in the Peak Distict, with workshops before and after the trip. The students own poems are now on display in the school. This partnership was one of the more unusual. Even the teachers found it strange when Charlotte started singing in the middle of the caverns. The students response was, 'She's weird Miss'. 'But', says Geography Teacher Justine Mason (Head of Department), 'Even the less able and disaffected students, as well as those who were initially resistant to the idea, managed to write something and positively achieve'. 'Doing poetry on a GCSE field trip is not de rigeur', says Deputy Head, Ian Fenn, 'what's important is that the work is cross curricular, it's not just about art. We value creativity - we're bidding for Art School status - but we don't just want to focus on art, music and drama which are already strong areas. trying to get creativity into other areas - out of the comfort zone. Through CAPE we're creating an impact on the whole curriculum, not just expressive arts'.******
COMMENT ON
TIME TRAVEL - Along The Silk Route, cassette and booklet (pub. Manatee Press 1999 - ISBN 1 901998 19 2) - "..poem-stories set along the Silk Route from China west to Afghanistan - over a period of thousands of years. ..to read and hear..remarkable poems. I am always happy when the dry facts of archaeology are treated with respect and accuracy, whether in drama novels or poetry. ..(they) have given a voice to the voiceless and ..'let in the light'. - Dr Paul G Bahn, (Cambridge, 1979) - noted Pre-historian, author - and editor of various broad-ranging books on archaeology
..extraordinary experimental work. I was fascinated by..different types of rhythms and rhymes - most thought provoking and I was taken to many different worlds. Both Living in the World and TIME TRAVEL were quite magical in completely different ways..allowing me to be an explorer in your world. - Benedict Allen - Explorer and video-maker to the BBC - author of 'The Edge of Blue Heaven', and numerous other books based on his explorations in Mongolia, Namibia, Papua New Guinea The Amazon etc.
..we enjoyed reading and listening to..Interesting stuff - and very effective reading.. Geoff Lowe - Founder Editor, Psychopoetica, Dept of Psychology, University of Hull
Along the Silk Route is a fascinating journey. This sequence brings to life a kaleidoscope of pictures, with its stories set along the trails from China to Western Europe. The poems are finely wrought and rich with imagery, and the introductory notes add helpful background. This is a collection for savouring, with resonances which will remain in the mind long after the work has been put aside. - Alison Chisholm -BBC, Poetry Consultant
I have seen Charlotte working both as a singer and performance poet on many occasions. She has a unique talent and an ability to communicate with a variety of audiences. Her Berlin Cabaret style songs are especially memorable and her Ice Maiden (NOTE : see Frozen Princess in Along the Silk Route) poems are as intriguing as they are appealing. What is more Charlotte is, as they say, a trooper, totally dedicated to the art. Michael Raven - British Composer, Musician, Author, Poet
COMMENT ON
'Flying Free', CD - 15 songs and three poems
I should quickly note that her account of British domination of Northern Ireland (in the appropriately punned "Our Bloody Language") is hard-hitting and to the point: "We English had an empire, it's just Ulster now that's left, and the city's Londonderry in our language." A very fine song, this one.Rock is a rough and pleasant singer, and she's able to handle the several accents she puts on.This disc came over the transom, and we had no responsibility to cover it (Canadian folk magazine - covers mainly Canadian Folk - CPR) I wouldn't be surprised to find myself singing some of these songs sooner or later... "I built a castle in the air and watched it fade away.... but I think that readers who like unaccompanied ballad singing and storytelling would find it appealing. - George W Lyon - The Canadian Folk Music Bulletin
The CD has..good design..recording quality..does justice to Charlotte's singing voice. Charlotte is a wildly imaginative poet, not an operatic talent..(but)..I have paid good money to hear a lot worse in folk clubs and festivals...the range of her voice is well matched to her performance. Often witty and thought provoking, this is material many folk performers would envy, and the delivery would be beyond most.Technical tricks are used sparingly throughout. Recommended. - Flos Headford - Shreds & Patches - Autumn 1999.
This is a CD demonstrating the breadth of material written and performed by this unusual poet/singer. The range from Irish story telling in the Lugh; though Marlene Dietrich style Berlin cabaret in Rudolph's Folly and Jews in Berlin is remarkable. All the pieces are unaccompanied which seems to work because of the range of Charlotte's characterisations. Both songs and poems are included, Mogsy's Stories being a tribute to Richard Walker - whose death I mentioned earlier this year. Poppin at Uncle's is a Lancashire style narration/song about the pawn shop, whilst Our Bloody Language is a protest song. Walkin Backwards is a story about a seagull, presented in the style of Nora Batty. There is even a haunting Innuit Call Song. Overall his is an entertaining mixture of material - on this showing I'd definitely recommend seeing Charlotte live. - Dave Leverton - Editor - Avon Folk Diary - October 1999.
..some of you Midlanders may well have seen her perform. You'll have had a pretty nice evening if this CD is any sample because she has a very wide-ranging repertoire..I'm not the world's greatest poetry fan but her first (of three) offering here is almost a song, such is her delivery. I suppose you'd call her a performance artist because she makes no bones about changing her delivery to suit the piece. Thus we move from Ireland to Lancashire to Germany. her voice is (I hope I'm forgiven), almost overpowering at times, so raw an edge and deep tones does it often develop.. The material is eclectic (I don't like the word but needs must). And sometimes the switch of style and theme is almost overwhelming - in the pleasantest way of course. This is a clever lady who has no qualms about showing her feelings in both writing and performance; even on a studio session she manages an enviable degree of verve, seldom attained by many performers in a live set. She gives you no mercy as she makes point after point, sometimes with subtlety, sometimes almost threateningly. She deserves a lot from this CD but I suppose someone will ask 'where's the lurve songs?' and others 'where's the guitars?' and pass her by. They'll be wrong to do so for such are not needed here. - Doug Porter - Folk On Magazine - http://www.dougporter.freeserve.co.uk/
Cheshire based Charlotte Peters Rock is, according to the notes accompanying this intriguing CD, a performance poet and singer-songwriter who admits that folk song is a fairly new departure for her, although you'd never guess it from the confident performance she displays here..this is a very enjoyable and very varied album of unaccompanied songs and tales. - Jim Marshall - Editor - The Folk Diary - 180 - 5.11.99
Charlotte Peters Rock is a poet and songstress who was a regular performer on the town's (Bolton) acoustic circuit (brave lady) and has now gone on to bigger things, performing her work throughout the north west and beyond. There's some interesting material on here. If you see her live then you'll definitely want a copy of this album. - Alec Martin - Bolton Evening News - also of Buskers Ball - http://www.busker.freak.com/
Main site
Poetry site Song site Child Poems site Exhibition photographs
