War and Peace: A Terrible Beauty

A meditation on war and peace in poetry, song, music and images, from 1914 to the present day, including readings from The Diary of Anne Frank

Sheena Blackhall is a poet, short story writer, folksinger and book illustrator who writes mainly in Scots. She has published many books and from 1998-2003 was Creative Writing Fellow in Scots at Aberdeen University's Elphinstone Institute. She has won the Hugh MacDiarmid trophy for Scots and the Robert McLellan Cup for short story writing.

Douglas Kynoch is an Aberdonian. He has worked for Grampian TV and BBC TV. His chapbook Uninvited Guests was published in 2004 by Koo Press. He reads his elegant work regularly at Books and Beans with great style.

Paulina Vanderbilt is honoured to read from Anne Frank's diary. The diary is one of the most translated books ever and stands on a par with cheese, tulips, clogs and Van Gogh. The passages have been carefully selected, and some will be in Dutch. Paulina will showcase the optimism and hope that survives times of strife and dread.

Ian Watt studies at Aberdeen City Music School. Recent performances have included four concerts in Paris. He passed the classical guitar Associated Board Exam (grade 8) with distinction and holds the school record for highest mark. As well as classical music, Ian plays electric guitar, sings with his group Steely Glint, and is an accomplished jazz musician.

He recently won the Aberdeen Young Musician of the Year Award. He has just turned 16.

Morag Skene was born and brought up in the North-East of Scotland. She even lives in a lovely, traditional North-East farmhouse with a huge garden, just outside Peterhead, which she would really enjoy if she was ever there. Unfortunately, Morag's interests in writing, dancing, drama, her wee grandaughter, jazz and making a fool of herself singing on open mic nights, mean she has to drag herself into the big bad city of Aberdeen far too often!

Gerard Rochford's poetry publications include Three Way Street, and The Holy Family and Other Poems, both published by Koo Press. He is a founder member of Dead Good Poets, convenor of their poetry readings at Books and Beans, and a poetry editor for Pushing Out the Boat. He is included in Janice Galloway's selection of Best 20 Scottish poems of 2006, for the Scottish Poetry Library.

Promoted by

Wordfringe
Gordon Highlanders Museum
Dead Good Poets

Supported by

Ken Watmough, Fishmonger by Royal Appointment