The Queen's Shoulders
The Queen's Shoulders
How a local woman came to feature on one of the most iconic images of the 20th century.
In 1964 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II sat for Staffordshire artist Arnold Machin, as he modelled the clay cameo for his iconic postage stamp image. However, Machin only sculpted the Queen’s head, and the Palace decided it needed something extra - shoulders! Machin asked a young Stoke-on-Trent woman, Angela, to sit for him as he modelled the monarch’s shoulders. Angela remained in the area, becoming a teacher and raising her family in the Staffordshire Moorlands. She was involved in local theatre groups and choirs throughout her life.
Originally commissioned for the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, this new production celebrates Machin’s Stoke-on- Trent roots as part of the Stoke100 Centenary celebrations and brings you the extraordinary true story of how the local woman’s shoulders would become known throughout the world.
Directed by Polly Wain and featuring Ava Ralph as Angela, The Phoenix Singers bring this unique story to life with words by Victoria Brazier and music by Ashley Thompson.
You’ll never look at a stamp in the same way again.
We realised that some of our friends might not realise our extremely close link to the famous image of the Queen that appeared on our stamps, This image of Queen Elizabeth II has appeared on an estimated 220 billion Royal Mail stamps alone. Then consider the coins, the banknotes, the portraits, and the Commonwealth-making the true number of reproductions nearly impossible to estimate
Not only was the artist local but the beautiful shoulders of the queen were modelled not in a palace or surrounded by corgis but in a studio here in North Staffordshire. The model's own daughter is Katie Thompson, part of Phoenix Singers, Leek, Staffordshire. UK .
She tells us
" I was in my 20s when I discovered my mum’s fascinating story. I can’t quite remember how I did; it was probably a throw away remark that I probed into. I was astounded. How could it be possible that my mum, an ordinary teacher living in Staffordshire, was part of such an iconic image? And how was it that almost no one, including me, knew about it?
On reflection it wasn’t really surprising that she didn’t share the story; she was a private person and to her, it was just one of those things. The family had a connection with Arnold Machin and she was just in the right place at the right time. I think she’d be delighted but amazed at the interest the story has now generated."
Gloria (Poulenc) and New Gloria (Vivaldi/Thompson)
A Choral Christmas Music and readings for the festive season
Music and readings for the festive season
Together with Young Phoenix
Phoenix Favourites
Singing Phoenix Favourites (young and old) to raise funds for Cancer Research UK
.On October 19th at 7.30pm Young Phoenix and The Phoenix Singers performed several of their favourite pieces to raise funds for Cancer Research UK.
The last year in particular as a group we have been hit hard by cancer with many undergoing treatment, unfortunately losing one of our members but also a few successful completions of treatment. We wanted to do something that would make a difference but also raise the spirits of our community, friends and family so we sang!
“Phoenix Favourites” took place at Trinity Church in Leek (Derby Street, ST13 5AW) on the 19th of October at 7.30pm, with all profits going towards Cancer Research UK.
For more information you can find us on Facebook where both choirs post regular clips and updates.
Duruflé Requiem & Grieg Piano Concerto
Christmas Concert
Johnny Coppin & The Phoenix Singers in concert
Featuring favourites and songs from Shakespeare & other English poets.
Johnny Coppin is a singer/songwriter, composer and poetry anthologist. Together with Leek‘s Phoenix Singers, the concert will feature some of Johnny’s best-known songs alongside tracks from his latest album and new arrangements written especially for the event.
"Strong, clear vocals, and songs of substance” Daily Telegraph
"One of the finest voices in its field” Q Magazine
A Song for all Seasons
A Song for all Seasons - A Charity Concert
with Young Phoenix & guest instrumentalists
in aid of
Jessie's fund - music helping children
&
The Beatrice Charity
In Every Corner Sing
'Wonderful evening by Phoenix Choir'
As mayor I attended the concert given by the Phoenix Choir to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of the composer Ralph Vaughan Williams.
The concert in Trinity Church was well attended and the audience were in for a treat.
The music was great and offered proof what an outstanding hymn writer RVW was.
The setting of the George Herbert poems in Five Mystical songs was excellent and as I remarked at the end of the concert the third song was the poem “Love bade me welcome” was the poem we had read at our wedding in April 2015 at St Edwards.
The undoubted highlight was conductor Ashley and his son Joe’s playing of George Gershwin's “Rhapsody in Blue". I am sure that it will linger long in the memory.
I pointed out in my closing remarks the strong association that RVW had with North Staffordshire as his mother was a Wedgwood and in old age the composer bore a strong resemblance to his great great grandfather Josiah Wedgwood
So, I think the area can claim a pottery shard of the grand old man of English classical music
A wonderful evening with great singers and proof of the power of music in what is a very musical town.
Just before the Second War, Vaughan Williams set to music the words of Shakespeare from the Merchant of Venice which summed up our situation in Trinity on an October night:
"Here we will sit and let the sounds of music creep in our ears: soft stillness and the night become the touches of sweet harmony"
Cllr Bill Cawley Mayor of Leek
The Queen's Shoulders at All Saints Church, Hanley
The Queen's Shoulders at Trinity Church
Come & Sing
After an in depth workshop during the morning and first part of the afternoon, we were able to showcase our new found skills with a public performance for friends and family.
Originally written as a millennium project celebrating the past, the future and two thousand years of Christendom, New Gloria takes the original material of Vivaldi's Gloria and reworks it into contemporary pop. The material has been freely adapted to suit the new idiom - the original sacred text, dating from the ninth century, together with the energy of the modern grooves, creates an electrifying fusion full of both vigour and pathos.
Born out of the sacred text, Vivaldi's masterpiece moved and delighted the audiences of its day. Likewise, New Gloria, whilst not pretending to be a replacement or improvement on the original (nor should it), respectfully and intelligently places the work in the soundscape of the modern listener without dumbing down Vivaldi's inspired intent. As you listen, experience the awe and intimacy, the mystery and majesty and draw fresh inspiration from the music of Vivaldi's Gloria.
