Ottawa’s Stairwell Carollers Auditioning Tenors for Spring 2025!

You heard that right!

Ottawa’s Premier a cappella chamber chorale, The Stairwell Carollers is looking for that perfect male tenor voice.

Could it be you?

If you live in the Ottawa/Outaouais region and are available to rehearse in person once a week on Wednesday nights, we welcome you to audition Wednesday January 29, 2025. Contact us now to book your 15 minute tryout! 

Sorry, this is not an open audition, you must book your time ahead.

 Email : info(at)stairwellcarollers(dot)com 

To qualify, all you need is a solid voice, a good ear and a great attitude.
Ability to read music is not required, but it is an asset. All music files necessary to learn the songs are provided through our website members page. 

A registered Canadian charity, The Carollers also help local charities with net proceeds from concert tickets, CDs, Digital Downloads and Streaming sales.  

Since 1997 we have donated over $143,800 to local charities and scholarships.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie created our a cappella choir in 1977 while he was a music student at Ottawa University. With wins in both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions, we are ranked among the best of Ontario choirs. 

Stairwell Caroller Fun Facts - Choral Auditions this Week - Email us!

The early bee gets the honey! 

Yeah, I know, they MAKE honey. They actually gather pollen and nectar.

Any way...

Don't miss your chance to be a member of Ottawa's Stairwell Carollers!  Choral Auditions this Wednesday August 30th for our 2023 Christmas season of song. 

Contact Holly at info(at)stairwellcarollers.com to set up an audition time.

Did you know...

- we have two Christmas concerts planned for 2023 At Southminster and St Columba

- During the pandemic, the Stairwell Carollers performed as a virtual choir on YouTube . Director Massie edited together the virtual concert from choir members’ video submissions. “Singing alone at home is nothing like performing for a live audience,” says Massie. “Now that we’re back to in-person rehearsals, it’s been gratifying to hear our voices come together in harmony again and enjoy the camaraderie and social interaction unique to a small choral ensemble.”

- The Stairwell Carollers are now in an active search for new voices with a focus on adding several more voices in their tenor and bass sections.

- In-person auditions will be held by appointment Wed August 30th 2023 at St Columba church.  Xmas Season startup is on Sept 6. 

- A solid voice, a good ear and a great attitude are all candidates need to qualify. Reading music is an asset but not a necessity. 

- The Stairwell Carollers has more than 1500 YouTube channel subscribers !!!

The Stairwell Carollers 2023 Spring concert - photo credit, Drew Gragg

A registered Canadian charity, The Carollers also help local charities with net proceeds from concert tickets, CDs, Digital Downloads and Streaming sales.  Since 1997 we have donated over $143,800 to local charities and scholarships.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie created our a cappella choir in 1977 while he was a music student at Ottawa University. With wins in both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions, we are ranked among the best of Ontario choirs. 

STAIRWELL CAROLLERS 2023 Spring Choral Concert MADRIGAL, Smashing Success!

 photo credit Drew Gragg

New Singers in the Stairwell!

Pierre Massie and his award-winning a cappella choir, The Stairwell Carollers, hosted an evening of choral masterpieces from the 16th century to present day. We saw so many old friends who said they enjoyed our springtime musical smorgasbord, with songs in English, French, Italian, Spanish, German, Latin and Gaelic.

photo credit Drew Gragg

The Stairwell  Carollers, now celebrating their 46th year singing in the National Capital Region, is also proud to introduce five new singers for this season! Irina, Lisseth, Rita, Kristy and Lance - altos, sopranos and a tenor!

 photo credit Drew Gragg

We returned to one of our favourite singing spaces, Saint Barnabas Church at 70 James St. Ottawa for our Spring '23 concert, Saturday, June 3rd, 2023. It was a  a "masks optional" performance - our first since 2019! 

"Madrigal", a welcome introduction to spring program included choral gems by Dowland, Costeley, Palestrina, de Lassus, Poulenc, Bairstow and Gjello. It also featured Pierre Massie's "Verbum Patris umanatur" and "F'hir a' bhàta" a traditional Gaelic folk song by Sìne NicFhionnlaigh.

This concert was also the farewell performance for one of our long time singers, Helen, who recently switched up from alto to singing tenor alongside Pete. We wish her all the best in her future adventures, traveling the world with her husband in their retirement. Much love Helen, you can never be replaced!

Helen and Tina - longtime alto stairwellers - photo credit Drew Gragg

To learn more about the Stairwell Carollers, visit https://www.stairwellcarollers.com/en/home/

And to hear the Carollers singing, visit our YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/user/StairwellCarollers 

FALL SEASON AUDITIONS COMING UP! END OF AUGUST - email Holly at info@stairwellcarollers.com to set up your time.

The Stairwell Carollers is a registered Canadian charity. 

Net proceeds benefit local Ottawa Gatineau charities. 

Auditions this Wednesday for the Stairwell Carollers - email us NOW!

Pierre was just interviewed on Rogers Daytime by Derick Fage @Derick.Fage 

Here is the interview. Maybe it will answer some of your questions, if you are considering auditioning!

We are looking for all voices! Sopranos, Tenors, Basses and Altos.

Email us now info@stairwellcarollers.com to book you time this Wed evening, Jan 25th Hope to hear from you!

Spring 2023 Auditions - Sing with us!

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie created our a cappella choir in 1977 while he was a music student at Ottawa University. With wins in both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions, we are ranked among the best of Ontario choirs. 

A registered Canadian charity, The Carollers also help local charities with net proceeds from concert tickets, CDs, Digital Downloads and Streaming sales.  Since 1997 we have donated over $143,800 to local charities and scholarships.

Director Pierre Featured in the Ottawa Citizen - and Concert Reviews

Thanks to Lynn Saxberg, Arts editor of the Ottawa Citizen newspaper for the wonderful interview with Pierre which graced the cover of the Arts section on Saturday Dec 3rd!

This assured a successful Christmas concert season for the choir. Both concerts at Southminster United Church and St. Columba Anglican were packed (with a little space considering the pandemic) 

Early reviews of the concerts state unequivocally that the masks did not get in the way of the sound.

What a relief to hear!

Dec 14, 2022 - David Rain 

What a delight it was to hear you guys live last nite, after such a long gap!

So many familiar carols, I found it really tough to resist singing along, having memorized most of the tenor parts of course. 😊

It was really cool to hear you sing Carol of the Bells in Ukrainian, hope that becomes a lasting tradition.

My other favourites were Personent Hodie, En el portel (you guys were rocking!), Un flambeau, Dors ma colombe, and then it is a toss up for me which I liked better, they were both so good: Psallite or the Breton carol, a real winner, that one should come back again too!

The imaginative concert program design was just about the best I’ve seen, Dr Brynaert, I presume?

Keith, your song introductions were brilliant, and there were lots of chuckles in my 

section toward the back.

And Holly, your “cloaking devices” have definitely stood the test of time, and with 

the matching masks, you all looked great on stage.

Speaking of masks, I take mine off to salute you all, having been to 6 choral concerts this year, I have observed how tough it can be to sing just one a cappella piece with masks, but a whole program, that’s a major physical achievement, on its own terms. Plus, you achieved what few others could, a really good articulation of the words, you must have worked long and hard on that.

Again, thank you for a wonderful experience last nite, shared by a couple hundred 

other souls, so glad you got a full house.

Greetings to all!

David

Dec 14, 2022 - MC, Keith Bailey

Thank you for the invitation to MC the Christmas concerts. Such an honour for me; it's greatly appreciated.

I was amazed at the quality of singing (and for almost 90 minutes!) through those damp and muffling masks.  Well done everyone. The repertoire was perfectly chosen for the occasion and locations.

Please convey my congratulations and appreciation to Pierre, the Steering Committee, and the members. 

With my best wishes to you all for Christmas and The New Year,

Keith

Spring 2023 Auditions - Sing with us!

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie created our a cappella choir in 1977 while he was a music student at Ottawa University. With wins in both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions, we are ranked among the best of Ontario choirs. 

A registered Canadian charity, The Carollers also help local charities with net proceeds from concert tickets, CDs, Digital Downloads and Streaming sales.  Since 1997 we have donated over $143,800 to local charities and scholarships.

New to the Stairwell, and loving it!

New Stairwell Carollers - Cathy and Celina

 
Cathy: It is such a pleasure to sing with the Stairwell Carollers! I joined through audition a couple of months ago. 

Celina: Stairwell Carollers is the first a capella choir where I participate, therefore, it’s challenging, but amazing at the same time.
 

What’s your first impression of our director and founder of the choir, Pierre Massie? 

 

Cathy: Pierre Massie is a retired music teacher who has been directing the choir for 45 years now. He has a great deal of musical experience and is very dedicated to the choir.

 

Celina: I feel that only in 3 months my level has improved... and I still have a lot of work to do!

How do you like our repertoire for Christmas 2022?

 
Cathy: The repertoire is wonderful. The music is challenging and fun but not extremely difficult. Pierre is a talented composer and has written or arranged some of the beautiful pieces himself. Choir members are encouraged to give their input into the repertoire for the next term.

Could you describe the choir in a few words?

Cathy: I would describe the choir as an advanced, high-caliber choir.

Celina: It’s being a long time since I was in a choir where I had to practice almost every day, but when our voices mix together, the result is so beautiful that all the effort is worth it! 

First impressions of being a Stairweller?

Cathy: We are expected to gain a preliminary grasp of the music on our own, with the help of recordings and music software, which allows us to isolate our own part and reduce the speed, as necessary. Our time in rehearsals focuses on dynamics, working through difficult parts and polishing the sound.

 Celina: My very first time singing with the choir I was super impressed of the quality of the voices and how everybody puts a big effort to be prepared for the rehearsals.

What’s the organization of the chorale like?

 
Cathy: Everything is extremely well organized. Members know dates of concerts and rehearsals far in advance and a weekly update from the director keeps everyone well informed. At the beginning of the term, members are told specifically which pieces will be worked on at each rehearsal, which makes it much easier to prepare.

Celina: I am impressed with the way our together time every week is more productive (compared to other choirs where I sang with in the past).

Tell me some things you really love about the choir so far.

 
Cathy: Over the years, the choir has given a significant amount of money towards scholarships and donations to local charities.
It is a well-disciplined choir. Everyone is very friendly, but chatting during rehearsals is kept to a minimum.  The choir makes efforts to welcome newcomers and social events are being planned so that members get to know each other.

Celina: I’m very grateful for the patience that the carollers have with my volume, with my accent, with my high notes, thank you everybody for contributing and help me somehow to become a real caroller at the same level!

Auditions - Join us!

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie created our a cappella choir in 1977 while he was a music student at Ottawa University. With wins in both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions, we are ranked among the best of Ontario choirs. 

A registered Canadian charity, The Carollers also help local charities with net proceeds from concert tickets, CDs, Digital Downloads and Streaming sales.  Since 1997 we have donated over $143,800 to local charities and scholarships.

The Stairwell Carollers OPEN REHEARSAL - Wednesday Nov 2nd 2022 - all welcome!

The Stairwell Carollers are holding an OPEN REHEARSAL Wednesday evening, Nov 2nd 2022 from 6:30 PM (EDT) to 9:00 PM (EDT). Please REGISTER HERE

EN FRANÇAIS

Come join the fun and hear who we are as we rehearse. Everyone is invited.

It's a great opportunity for anyone interested in joining our group to see how we do things.

Come do warm-ups, learn about singing choral music from Director Pierre Massie - and sing along from the pews.

Register yourself by purchasing a free ticket here.  Rehearsal is at St. Columba Anglican Church, 24 Sandridge Rd, Manor Park, Ottawa.

COVID protocols

We ask that you sit in the church pew social distanced. The carollers wear masks when rehearsing. We strongly request the participants wear a mask.

Questions about this event?

The Stairwell Carollerscarollers@rogers.com

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie created our a cappella choir in 1977 while he was a music student at Ottawa University. With wins in both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions, we are ranked among the best of Ontario choirs. 

A registered Canadian charity, The Carollers also help local charities with net proceeds from concert tickets, CD and cookbook sales.  Since 1997 we have donated over $143,800 to local charities and scholarships.

Au joli jeu, a Renaissance Madrigal by Clément Jannequin - YouTube - Auditions August 24th 2022

Ottawa choir, The Stairwell Carollers, perform the Spicy madrigal Au joli jeu by Clément Jannequin.

This version of Au joli jeu is on our Audite nova recording.  All our music benefits local charities and our albums are available to buy on our Square store in both CD and MP3 formats.  

Get our professional recordings here  

Visit our website!

Recorded at St. Columba Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, June 4, 2022. 

Videographers: Michèle Auger, Drew Mason

Editing: Pierre Massie

In Person Auditions Set for August 24th 2022 - we are especially searching for tenor and bass voices. Also soprano. Email Holly info(at)stairwellcarollers.com to set up your audition time.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie created our a cappella choir in 1977 while he was a music student at Ottawa University. With wins in both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions, we are ranked among the best of Ontario choirs. 

A registered Canadian charity, The Carollers also help local charities with net proceeds from concert tickets, CD and cookbook sales.  Since 1997 we have donated over $143,800 to local charities and scholarships.

O vos omnes by Tomas Luis de Victoria - Ottawa Stairwell Carollers choir - YouTube

 

Having been on Youtube for over 12 years now, the Stairwell Carollers has fought a few battles over copyright. Not the silliest being ones for our Director, Pierre's own original compositions! 

Sure enough, we uploaded our video of  O vos omnes by Tomas Luis de Victoria from our Spring concert last June. Bam. A copyright notice!

For an obviously Public Domain piece!

There are scammers everywhere, and YouTube is not by any means free of them.  (Imagine trying to get a piece of our already meagre YouTube earnings.)

Of course, I am disputing it. Details to come... (I'm usually successful fighting these fakes)

Here it is!

Ottawa choir, The Stairwell Carollers, perform O vos omnes by Tomas Luis de Victoria.

O vos omnes is on our “Cantate Domino” recording.  Net proceeds from our music benefits local charities. You can purchase or songs on our website in both CD and MP3 formats.  Get our professional recordings here.. https://stairwell-carollers-buy-christmas-carol-cds-music.square.site

Visit our website

Recorded at St. Columba Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, June 4, 2022. 

Videographers: Michèle Auger, Drew Mason

Video Editing: Pierre Massie

Auditions ongoing until end of August 2022 - we are especially searching for tenor and bass voices. Also soprano.

Email Holly info(at)stairwellcarollers.com to set up your virtual audition time.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie created our a cappella choir in 1977 while he was a music student at Ottawa University. With wins in both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions, we are ranked among the best of Ontario choirs. 

A registered Canadian charity, The Carollers also help local charities with net proceeds from concert tickets, CD and cookbook sales.  Since 1997 we have donated over $143,800 to local charities and scholarships.

Press Release - OTTAWA’S STAIRWELL CAROLLERS SEEK TENORS, BASSES AND SOPRANOS

OTTAWA’S STAIRWELL CAROLLERS SEEK TENORS, SOPRANOS AND BASSES 

One of Ottawa’s most beloved choirs, The Stairwell Carollers, is expanding its tenor and bass sections by welcoming new members. 

Now in its 45th year, this fully vaccinated choir has resumed in-person rehearsals in Manor Park since spring 2022. Using the church pews with assigned seating ensures the choir is able to follow provincial COVID guidelines as well as provide added safety for members. 

Last fall, the Carollers staged a virtual Christmas concert. 

We are hoping the Christmas concerts for 2022 can be in-person.

Pierre Massie, creator and director of The Stairwell Carollers (who also sings in the tenor section) chose a variety of choral favourites as the repertoire for the choir’s past Spring season concert June 4th, 2022. 

Read Maggie's joyful response to her concert experience.

The Carollers also arranged a series of in-person Masterclass workshops for the choir in the last week of April 2022 with choral expert Gabriel Lewis O'Conner (formerly of Chanticleer) - a great time was had by all! Workshop post to come :)

 Since its most recent in-person concert in December 2019, The Stairwell Carollers have performed only as a virtual choir with Premiere videos on YouTube.  Each choir member submitted their video and Massie edited together the virtual concert. “Singing alone at home is nothing like performing for a live audience,” says Massie. “Now that we’re back to in-person rehearsals, it’s been gratifying to hear our voices come together in harmony again and enjoy the camaraderie and social interaction unique to a small choral ensemble.” 

However, the choir needs more tenors, sopranos and basses and is now on an active search for new voices.

 “I want to continue pushing our musical repertoire with more challenging pieces and that demands a balance of voices for the multiple parts and complex harmonies,” says Massie. The Carollers are reaching out to tenors and basses looking for a safe, fully vaccinated choral ensemble to sing with. 

A solid voice, a good ear, a great attitude, and proof of vaccination are all candidates need to qualify. Reading music is an asset but not a necessity. Auditions for tenors, sopranos and basses continue until end of August 2022 or until positions are filled. 

Auditions are held via Zoom, Skype or FaceTime with a possibility of some in person auditions end of August 2022. During the audition, the candidate must have access to software to read PDFs and play mp3 audio files. 

Contact Holly at info@stairwellcarollers.com to set up your audition time

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie created the a cappella choir, The Stairwell Carollers, in 1977 while he was a music student at Ottawa University. With wins in both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions, they are ranked among the best of Ontario choirs. 

A registered Canadian charity, The Stairwell Carollers help local charities with net proceeds from concert tickets, CD and cookbook sales.  Since 1997 they have donated over $143,800 to local charities and scholarships.

Search for Voices featured in Manor Park Chronicle

Many many thanks to Wes Smiderle for the beautiful article in the May/June edition of the Manor Park Chronicle. He got us the entire page!

I'm sure this will be a lot of help in our search for male voices to top up the choir for the coming Christmas season.

Check us out on page 40 in the May/June Manor Park Chronicle

Excerpts:

"The music ascends to the rafters, the choral voices surging from moments of delicate precision to a rousing, victorious force. Whether it's a medieval carol, or a wry French chanson from the Renaissance, or more modern music, the Stairwell Carollers know their way around a song."

"In the 1990's The Stairwell Carollers recorded an album which helped raise over $50,000 (- For Ottawa Ronald McDonald House - more in-depth history HERE), which sparked their philanthropic goals."

"Now, as the Carollers plan for concerts in their 45th year, Pierre is focused on recruiting more voices, a move that will expand the choir's vocal toolbox and allow the group to tackle a more diverse range of music.

Thanks to Cheryl, soprano, for asking Wes to cover the choir for his excellent local paper. Thanks to Doug Banks for spending so much time with us at rehearsal to get the perfect shots for the article.

We're looking for a few good Men!

The Stairwell Carollers are seeking tenors and basses to join our safe, fully vaccinated choral ensemble. A solid voice, a good ear, a great attitude, and proof of vaccination are all candidates need to qualify. Reading music is an asset but not a necessity.

Auditions for tenors and basses continue till August 2022 or until positions are filled. Auditions are held via zoom, Skype or Facetime. During the audition, the candidate must have access to software to read PDFs and play MP3 files.

Contact Holly at info@stairwellcarollers.com to set up your audition time.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie created our a cappella choir in 1977 while he was a music student at Ottawa University. With wins in both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions, we are ranked among the best of Ontario choirs. 

A registered Canadian charity, The Carollers also help local charities with net proceeds from concert tickets, CD and cookbook sales.  Since 1997 we have donated over $143,800 to local charities and scholarships.

A Message from Gabriel Lewis O'Conner

We just got this lovely email from Gabriel (Gabe) Lewis-O'Conner, who recently did a weekend of choral workshops with the Stairwell Carollers choir here in Ottawa. It was a really inspiring event in preparation towards our first public choral concert since Christmas 2019!

The whole choir was thrilled to see him again and I will post more about the workshops soon.

Hi Pete (and the whole group)-

I just wanted to write a quick note and tell you how much I have been thinking about all of you leading up to your concert this Saturday.

It makes me so happy to see that the concert is moving ahead, and it seems like you have a pretty solid registration for tickets at this point. Those in the audience are so lucky to be a part of what you all will share.

I am confident that all of the effort it has taken to keep singing through the pandemic and then to come back together to sing in person will manifest in the passion, joy,  and personal storytelling that this repertoire allows.

Please know that I will be in the audience in spirit, beaming and clapping more loudly than anyone (even if you can’t actually see or hear me). I feel like my weekend working on this music with the group allowed me a rare glimpse into how this concert has evolved, and what this music means to each person singing it.

Send my love to everyone, and I can’t wait to hear how the concert goes. I hope everyone has recovered fully that was ill, and you have the full compliment of healthy boisterous singers!

Much love from Kansas,

Gabe

We're looking for a few good Men!

The Stairwell Carollers are seeking tenors and basses to join our safe, fully vaccinated choral ensemble. A solid voice, a good ear, a great attitude, and proof of vaccination are all candidates need to qualify. Reading music is an asset but not a necessity.

Auditions for tenors and basses continue till August 2022 or until positions are filled. Auditions are held via zoom, Skype or Facetime. During the audition, the candidate must have access to software to read PDFs and play MP3 files.

Contact Holly at info@stairwellcarollers.com to set up your audition time.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie created our a cappella choir in 1977 while he was a music student at Ottawa University. With wins in both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions, we are ranked among the best of Ontario choirs. 

A registered Canadian charity, The Carollers also help local charities with net proceeds from concert tickets, CD and cookbook sales.  Since 1997 we have donated over $143,800 to local charities and scholarships.

Stairwell Carollers singers featured in Vistas Article

Stairwell Carollers in rehearsal - photo credit, Katherine Marek

In a new article that just dropped in Vistas - the local Alta Vista newspaper - two Stairwellers, one new and one long time member, speak about singing and performing with a choir through and despite the pandemic. 

Veteran journalist, Courtney Tower, spent hours interviewing Maggie,  Anita, myself and Director, Pete, in preparation to writing the article. He co-created the piece with a Ridgemont journalism student, Skyler Josephson.

Here is a link to the entire online paper - Paper copies may still available locally.

Auditions still ongoing until August 2022 - we are especially searching for tenor and bass voices.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie created our a cappella choir in 1977 while he was a music student at Ottawa University. With wins in both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions, we are ranked among the best of Ontario choirs. 

A registered Canadian charity, The Carollers also help local charities with net proceeds from concert tickets, CD and cookbook sales.  Since 1997 we have donated over $143,800 to local charities and scholarships.