About Cil.

Five foot two, eyes of blue; sparkles, spangles and a big hair-do

Has anybody seen our Cil ?

Well if you were in Las Vegas last week and you thought you saw her you did. Our very own Cil Van Der Velden was there at a Poetry Conference and competition, nearly 3,000 other poets attended the conference and Cil came away with an Outstanding Achievement Award. Well done Cil.

Born in Armidale, a child of the fifties, Cil didn’t have any ambition to write poetry but she has always wanted to be involved in music.

After she moved to Lithgow with her parents Cil attended Lithgow  High School and while she was still in her early teens auditioned for a spot as a singer with a local band and she remembers singing a Hermans Hermits song.

 The band job didn’t come to fruition so she had to content herself with entertaining fellow pupils by singing and dancing in the school hall on rainy sports days, surely  a few of you remember that.

Cil married the love of her life Snow Van Der Velden in 1972 when he came home from Vietnam and a lot of her work reflects those years and the experiences of other people affected by war.

After years of hard yakka they are both now retired from “work” and they have the time to travel a bit and experience life in Australia.

In 2002 one of their trips was to Tamworth to the Country Music Festival and there began Cil’s writing odyssey.

Cil came away from Tamworth wanting to write the lyrics to a song as she felt that country music was close to the songs that she really loves, songs that tell a story, the songs of the fifties and sixties, artists like the Shangrilas, Hermans Hermits and Cilla Black.

Her first effort ‘Stockman in the Sky’ made it to the Lyrics Only section of the finals of the Katherine Music Muster, as have 3 other songs she has submitted 3 years running, but those pesky ‘Toe Sucking Cowgirls’ keep beating her !

Writing poetry has really been an off-shoot of writing songs, but the both seem to co-exist quite happily together. Local Musician and friend Martin Doherty has written music for ten of Cil’s songs and they are working on producing an album which will be available sometime soon.

Cil has also collaborated with another well known local musician Brian Wilkinson and together they have written the words and music to a musical called ‘Angelinas Portrait’ which is currently in rehearsal and will be performed in October at the Lithgow Golf Club.

 At this moment there are two other musicals that are half way to completion, one in conjunction with a Melbourne based entertainer and the other with Brian (but it’s top secret so don’t tell anyone).

Yet another string to Cil’s bow is that she is currently working with local harpist Linda Mehrtens and together they form ‘Harpetry’

They perform together at Folk Club and also when asked for charities and other organizations.  Linda accompanies Cil’s poetry with beautiful traditional harp music, they are a great combination.

As well as song lyrics and poetry Cil also writes children’s and short stories. Her works have been published 5 times by Nobel House, in a locally produced book ‘I carried the Teapot My Sister Carried the Cat” and one of her children’s stories is in the process of publication.

Folk Club sessions usually see Cil perform one or two of her poems but her musical bent is often displayed when she sings and plays her very distinctive pink lagerphone made especially for her by a local instrument maker. Indeed her lagerphone is famous in it’s own right as it was stolen one night (not by anyone local), only to be tracked down by the Police and safely returned. Another Folk Club member has written a sure-fire hit that recounts the ‘Saga of the Lager’ and if we’re lucky he might sing it for us on Sunday.

Cil is a very busy person who finds time to make it to Folk Club every month. She says she loves the positive friendly atmosphere and the encouragement and support that is offered to everyone, especially those who dare to dream. Five years ago she could never have imagined that she would be where she is now in her creative life but she is enjoying every minute, and her dreams are coming true.

“Lucky Me”!

Mark Roebuck

Glenda Phipps

Martin Doherty

Gary Bucholtz

Fintan aka Craig Batty

Linda Mehrtens