Da Capo -- The National Gallery Concerts PART ONE The Rideau Chapel

The National Gallery Concerts PART TWO - The Great Hall
The Rideau Chapel is a heritage chapel saved from demolition and reconstructed within the  National Gallery of Canada. A permanent art installation, it is a wondrous space with vibrant live acoustics perfect for choral performance.

When you walk in, you would swear the light pouring throughout the stained glass was from the afternoon sun and that you were above ground.

In reality, the chapel is within the gallery building with no natural light whatsoever.

The entrance to the chapel is in the garden atrium -- another piece of slight of hand, suspending disbelief with the lush plantings and massive sky lighted ceiling above.

One feels as if they enter the chapel from a gated churchyard garden ( sans tombstones ) .

The Rideau Chapel is a perfect venue for our Sacred music and offers such choice in our physical setup. Oh, and the seats were full too. People wandered in from the Gallery when they heard the music and stayed for the whole concert.

Thanks to the kind stranger in the front row who I entrusted with my camera for concert shots. Good times!

Photos from the 2010 Federation of Canadian Music Festivals competition, 2nd place

Here are some photos taken when Martin went to Montreal to accept our 2nd place win in the Federation of Canadian Music Festivals- FCMF. This was the National levels where we placed 2nd in all of Canada!


"Honorable Barbara A Hagerman, class second place, donated by Cold Lake Music Festival AB. Stairwell Carollers, On. Pierre Massie, director (Sheila Lonsbury presenting to Martin Fairbank, Choir Member."
"Photos courtesy of Sue Burke. All photos © 2010 FCMF. Permission granted for personal, non-profit use by competitors, delegates and member festivals. Please give credit to the Federation of Canadian Music Festivals where possible.Any other use of any photograph is expressly forbidden without prior written authorization of FCMF."

NOTEable Mention -- our Roadies :) TECH NOTES -- Lighting and sound for concerts

Unlike most rock bands, we don't have roadies that hang out in the green room inhaling the after-show munchies-- we DO have some groupies, but that's another story...

After-concert munching

 We look to our own ranks to get the non-singing, but necessary tasks done, which will enhance our performances. Setting up the lights, sound equipment and  risers goes to the highest bidder. Uh, I mean, the most willing and strong-backed in the choir.

Rene setting up sound

Rene, Bass, takes care of and transports the bulky lighting and sound equipment with his own van.

Susan and John relaxing at intermission

The choir invested in a quality set of risers a few years ago. When they are needed, setup  is supervised by Susan -- who transports them with her own van from the equipments home in the basement at a local high school.

Rex and Morgan Lifting the Heavy

LAST SEASON"S  ROAD CREW

Morgan focuses, while Rene holds the ladder -- safety first!

Morgan - our youngest Tenor, does a lot of the heavy lifting for us and loves to focus the lights.

 

Diana, cord mistress

  Diana, a  wondrous Soprano, runs cords and tapes them down.
"Helping with the lighting means having Pete screech "Bzzzzzt" electrical sounds whenever you plug something in. He keeps us on our toes."

David, staring into the light...

Rex, far right -- note furry slippers in Basic Black -- concert-ready!

Long-time Tenor, David -- and hilarious, furry-slippered-wearing Bass, Rex -- set up smaller box risers when needed. They also help to focus lights.
   Other helpers, Huguette - Soprano, John - Bass and former tenor, Youssef, round out our 2010 crew. Of course many others pitched in, and if I missed you I'm sorry -- feel free to correct me in a comment below:)

Hear Pierre and Holly Massie interview - In Town and Out, CBC radio 1

UPDATE -- THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW IS NOW HERE -- INCLUDES SOUNDBYTES OF PETE'S VOICE AT A CHOIR REHEARSAL

If you are an early bird, make sure to listen to CBC Radio 1 tomorrow morning, Saturday Dec 18th. Pete and I were interviewed by Rebecca Zandbergen and it will be aired sometime during the show.
The show runs from 6:00 am to 9:00 am so it should be a good promo for our final concert that evening :)

In Town and Out Website

cameraman at CBC

Final Concert this Saturday Dec 18th -- Somerset Wassail - arr: John Rutter -- sung by the Stairwell Carollers

Our final concert of the 2010 Christmas season is this Saturday, December the 18th at Église Marie-Médiatrice (Saint Frère André), 344 Cyr Avenue, Vanier, 7.30 pm.,

  for info call (613) 749-5652

 Tickets $15.00 at the door or in advance from Choir Members 

Da Capo -- Stairwell Caroller concerts in 2010

Zion Memorial in Carleton Place

"Thanks to you and the Carollers for a wonderful concert to welcome the snow in Dec., as usual. The silence during your singing and the rapt looks on all 250 faces told the whole story. It was magical!"

Dianne Clipsham, St Paul's Eastern United Church

OMFA First in Ontario -- FCMF -- Second in all of Canada!

Ontario Music Festival 2010
We won First in Ontario!

Then in the FCMF -- The Federation of Canadian Music Festivals 2010 -- we won second in all of Canada!

 

2010 Christmas concerts "Iesous Ahatonnia"

Saturday, Dec. 4, at Woodroffe United Church at 207 Woodroffe Ave
Dec. 8 at St. Columba Anglican Church, 24 Sandridge Rd.,
Dec. 10 at St. Paul's Eastern United Church, 473 Cumberland St.,
and Dec. 18 at Eglise Marie-Médiatrice/Saint frère André, 344 Cyr Ave

Featuring a brand new arrangement of The Huron Carol -- Iesous Ahatonnia by our director, Pierre Massie

The Stairwell Carollers are an a cappella Ottawa choir, formed in 1977 by their director Pierre Massie, a music graduate of the University of Ottawa. The choral group has earned the distinction of being ranked amongst the best of Ottawa choirs by local choral critics. Their repertoire encompasses sacred and secular songs from the Renaissance period.

In the rush of the hectic Yuletide season, the Carollers bring focus to the true meaning of Christmas, with their beautiful and unique interpretations of traditional Christmas carols in many languages.

The release of their first CD Qui creavit celum, celebrated the Stairwell Carollers' 20^th anniversary in 1997.

In 2000 they released I Saw a Swete Semly Syght and in 2003 Mourning Dove.  Their very first madrigal CD, Audite nova, was released in October of 2006.

Their new Xmas CD Laudemus cum armonia is now available for pre-order and will be released this October

A non-profit organization, they assist in raising funds for local charities through concerts and CD sales.