The Stairwell Carollers remember Gord Atkinson - a Bright Ottawa Light Winks Out

 We were so very sad to learn of the passing of Gord Atkinson - long time mentor and friend to The Stairwell Carollers - Monday, April 26, 2021. He will be sorely missed. 

So many memories...

Our connection to Gord began in 1984 when his wife Elaine heard us carolling at Bayshore Shopping Centre. Right there, he invited us to sing LIVE on CFMO for their Christmas Exchange Telethon. Before the broadcast, he asked "what should I call you folks - what's the group's name?" 

We didn’t HAVE a name. 

After an awkward moment Dawn (soprano) piped up -- "The Stairwell Carollers".  I was dumbstruck. It was perfect. Our new name was forever cast in radio history as Gord introduced us for the first time ever over the airwaves.  

(I wish I had a photo - the pic below is from a later Christmas exchange broadcast from the Ottawa Citizen building)

Gord claimed us as his "Discovery", welcoming us into his musical cadre alongside Paul Anka, Elvis and Rich Little. We sang for The Christmas Exchange Broadcast on CFMO and CFRA for many years and were even treated to a wee float with our name on it in the 1987 Santa Claus parade . 

Pierre and I kept in touch with both Gord and Elaine, always looking forward to their Christmas card newsletter, always with a special note added just for us.

In 1986, Gord and CFMO produced our first recording, a vinyl album which raised over $53,000 for Ronald MacDonald House.

Gord and Elaine attended many of our concerts and, though he always said he was just a fan, we knew better. Gord Atkinson provided the choir countless opportunities that led to the professional development of The Stairwell Carollers.

He had the most generous heart. I miss him from the bottom of mine.

We send our sincere condolences to his wife Elaine and their family at this difficult time.

Gord Atkinsons Obituary : https://ottawacitizen.remembering.ca/obituary/gordon-atkinson-1082194642

 

CTV news https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/legendary-ottawa-radio-broadcaster-gord-atkinson-dies-at-94-1.5402971

Global news https://globalnews.ca/news/7813330/ottawa-radio-gord-atkinson-obituary/

Ottawa Citizen https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/egan-from-bing-to-the-king-radio-man-gord-atkinson-had-legendary-career

40 Years of Stairwell Carolling Revealed!

Our Founder and Director, Pierre Massie, started our group in 1977 - where we sang Christmas carols in the stairwells of residences at the University of Ottawa during exam time.  The eight of us would start at the top of the residence stairwell and work our way to the bottom. Students came out from their rooms to listen to the carols and would follow us as we went down from floor to floor, our voices helped out by the echo of the stairwell.  We sang throughout our hometown of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - in malls, for parking lot attendants, and even on buses. We had a great time carolling in the Byward Market and on Sparks street too - lots of amazing memories.

In the early 80's, we were carolling at Bayshore shopping center and Gord Atkinson - then the voice of CFMO radio - heard us. Right then he asked us to sing live on CFMO for their Christmas Exchange Telethon.  It was during this first appearance on radio with Gord that our group got its name. Right before the broadcast, he asked us "what should I call you folks - what's the group's name?" Up till then, we were only ten Christmas Carollers with no name.  Dawn, soprano, piped up with "The Stairwell Carollers" and the name stuck.  Personally, I love our moniker since it harks back to the choir's beginnings - singing in the residence stairwells for fellow U. of Ottawa students.  

In 1986, Gord - with CFMO - produced our first real recording, a fundraising vinyl album in aid of Ronald McDonald House. an initiative which raised over $53,000.

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 return to Stittsville for a favourite concert of 2016

Our third Christmas concert of the Christmas season 2016 was Dec 3rd at St Thomas Anglican church in Stittsville, On.

We always have so much fun there! Such a welcoming crowd and the church has great acoustics.

It is also a special place because back in 2014 we had an early Christmas present!  Gord Atkinson, his wife Elaine - and their son and his wife were in the audience.

We were thrilled to meet up with our dear friend, who was there when The Stairwell Carollers name was coined!

We wish Gord and Elaine had been there this year. Unfortunately, though they wanted to see us, they were not well enough to attend.  I spoke to them on the phone and wished them a merry Christmas from all of us.

It is always such a joy to sing for the St. Thomas community. We will definitely be back!

14 Fun Facts about the Stairwell Carollers...

At the NAC, Ottawa, 1988

1. Our first recording was on vinyl and raised over $53,000 for Ottawa's Manoir Ronald McDonald house situated beside CHEO.

2. One of our basses (Rex) is infamous for his slippers he wears to practice. He also can't resist a piano.

Rex tickles the ivories in a break from recording Cantate Domino

3. Although not all of us are as bilingual as we'd like (me), the choir is officially bilingual. Pierre directs us in both English and French randomly. Our website has both English and French versions and I occasionally receive French posts for the blog (more please). We have performed at both English and French venues, with bilingual MCs.

4. Our 30th anniversary cookbook was named for the nickname we got from being so ravenous after concerts.

The Eatwell Carollers.

The French title, Madrigateries, is a made up word that combines two words Madrigal and Gateries -- the literal meaning is hard to explain in English but all our Francophone fans appreciate it.

Eatwell -- 30th anniversary cookbook

14 Fun Facts about the Stairwell Carollers... https://t.co/67DMLqPWbt

— Stairwell Carollers (@StairwellChoir) January 11, 2017

5. Our name, "The Stairwell Carollers", was a spontaneous creation by original soprano, Dawn, when Gord Atkinson asked our name live on a radio broadcast.

Xmas Exchange broadcast with Gord Atkinson, CFMO, early 80's

6. Our director, Pierre Massie, sings along in the tenor section and directs us with his choir binder and head movements. Front row, second from the left. You can clearly see many singers looking at him for direction.

Pierre directs while singing

7. Pierre composes and arranges many of the pieces we sing. Here's a sample... The title track of our first CD, Qui Creavit Celum http://www.stairwellcarollers.com/audio/QuiCreavit.mp3

Pete composes in our back sunroom

8. We now have 7 CDs, including O Magnum Mysterium -- a Christmas carol CD, which will be available October 2015. All proceeds go towards helping local charities.

Susan checks on the CD table at a concert

9. "Noel Nouvelet" is a compilation album of our previous recordings of French and Latin carols requested by our Francophone listeners. All our other CDs consist of new song recordings for each CD.

Noel Nouvelet, our French Christmas Carol compilation

10. Gord Atkinson, of CFMO FM radio fame, discovered us at Bayshore shopping center in Ottawa's west end -- after his wife Elaine heard us caroling there.

Recording session for CFMO -- about 1978

11. Our choir started as a group of students singing together in the Ottawa U residence stairwells.

Holly and Dawn practicing to sing in the U of O stairwells

12. Over 100 people are Stairwell Alumni -- current and former -- we call them "Stairwellers".

Stairwell Alumni rehearsing for 30th anniversary 2007

13. Our YouTube channel has over 180 concert song videos, all edited and produced by our director, Pierre Massie, and all recorded live in concert. Pierre edits the video together with a professional audio recording by Tom Barnes and we are very proud of the results!

14. Last, but totally not least, the Stairwell Carollers is a registered charity. We are all volunteers and LOVE what we do!

Andy and Holly relax at a concert reception

Stairwell Carollers to sing on CFRA for 2012 Christmas Cheer Broadcast

The Stairwell Carollers on CFRA CFMO Dec 1 1985, Xmas Exchange Broadcast

                                CFRA has asked us back for the annual 2012 Christmas Cheer broadcast, tomorrow, Thursday Dec 6th We will sing ON AIR between 5PM and 6PM. 

Stairwell Carollers to sing on #CFRA for 2012 #Christmas Cheer Broadcast stairwellcarollers.blogspot.ca/2012/12/stairw… #Ottcity #choral #Ottawa #donate
— Stairwell Carollers (@StairwellChoir) December 5, 2012

As you may have noticed from the pic, this is not our first time helping out the Christmas cheer broadcast thanks to long time supporter Gord Atkinson. For a number of years it was a Stairwell Caroller tradition, so we are thrilled to be asked back to help again with this wonderful cause.

Come on down to see us -- right near Santa at the Rideau Centre, Centre Court, or tune in to CFRA to listen and donate :)
 

Da Capo -- Ottawa choir returns to their roots -- 35 years later !

The Stairwell Carollers, 1978 -- note Dawn's t-shirt I made for her celebrating the name she coined

For Holly Massie, it all started when she met future husband Pierre Massie in the Marchand Residence of Ottawa U in 1975.

He was studying music in French, and she, theatre in English.

It was the perfect match. One thing led naturally to another, and before you could say “do, sol, mi, do”, Pierre had recruited Holly to sing in the stairwells of their residence to cheer up students during exam times.

As she still likes to joke, “My life took a turn for the chorus.”

Holly and Dawn 1977

Pierre started recruiting more singers, and by 1977 they had become a tiny choir of ten. They sang Christmas carols that year at the Bayshore Shopping Centre, and caught the attention of Gord Atkinson, who was hosting CFMO radio’s Christmas cheer broadcast.

As Holly relates, “Shaking in our choir boots, we stared at this celebrity as he asked us our NAME.”

“WHAT name? We HAD no name…While I was trying not to panic, soprano, Dawn, piped up – ‘The Stairwell Carollers!’ Gord ran with it, the name ran with us – and I’ve been running on the fast track, Stairwell Carolling, ever since.”

Pierre and Holly July 5 1980

From these very humble beginnings, Holly has accompanied Pierre on his 35 year journey – developing this tiny group of singers into one of Ottawa’s premier a cappella choirs, with seven professionally-produced CDs to their credit.

The Stairwell Carollers have also developed a humanitarian mission, transforming income from concert tickets and CD sales into $45,000 in donations to local charities.

As well, scholarships worth $11,000 have been offered to high school students pursuing musical studies at Ottawa U itself, and at other Canadian universities.

And this year, the Carollers are returning to within a stone’s throw of where it all began 35 years ago!

You can hear the choir just down the road from Ottawa U this Friday November 30 at St Paul’s Eastern United Church, 473 Cumberland St, at 7:30pm.

It’s a chance to hear some great music and to support the Carollers’ humanitarian work as well.

You can also catch the choir at these concerts in the Glebe and Manor Park areas:

• December 15: Glebe St James United Church, 650 Lyon St, 7:30pm. NB: the Carollers will be presenting a special $2,000 “Christmas gift” to the youth literacy group, Sage Youth-Jeunesse Sage, at this concert.
• December 19, St Columba Anglican Church, 24 Sandridge Road, 7:30pm.

David Rain

David Rain, who lives near Ottawa U, has been receiving his musical cues from the back of Pierre Massie’s head for the past 20 years. For tickets/CDs, visit: www.stairwellcarollers.com.

DA CAPO -- Stairwell Caroller History -- CFMO FM, Gord Atkinson and a vinyl record in aid of Ronald McDonald House

Dawn, Pete, Mike, Simon, Donald, Liz,
Holly, Diane, Denyse and Marjorie
pose in front of the fireplace at Ottawa's Ronald McDonald House

        On the eve of our 7th CD, Cantate Domino, I want to go back and take a fond look at our very first recording on vinyl. In 1986 we made an album for CFMO FM, "Christmas with the Stairwell Carollers", which made over $53,000 for Ronald MacDonald House and inspired our charitable mandate.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

One Christmas, in the late 70's, our tiny group of 10, as yet unnamed, carollers took a bus to the Bayshore shopping center to do some strolling and caroling.  In those days, there was no need to inform malls or ask permission, and we did not collect money, so we were usually just encouraged and welcomed by everyone who happened to be there.  

Singing in the overpass at Rideau center when there was still a good echo to be had,

Gord Atkinson - one of the most famous radio celebrities for the FM Oldies radio show on CFMO - was also there, heading up the Xmas Exchange Broadcast - a charitable event that raised funds to help needy families at Christmas.

Gord's wife, Elaine, who was shopping at the time, heard us and told Gord that there was a carolling group there in the mall perfect for the broadcast.  He called us over during a break and asked us what we called our little group.

How embarrassing -- we HAD no name.

After an awkward moment or two, one of our altos and my long-time friend, Dawn, piped up -- "The Stairwell Carollers" and that was it -- our name forever cast in radio history, as Gord introduced us for the first time ever over the airwaves. I can't remember what carols we sang, but Gord claimed us as his own discovery (right up there with Rich Little) and it was a bit of a whirlwind from there.

Gord Atkinson introduces us on live radio on the 1989 Xmas Exchange Broadcast

TWEET THIS POST!

DA CAPO -- Stairwell Caroller History -- CFMO FM and Gord Atkinson nblo.gs/CeCgx #choir #choralotttawa #radiohistory
— Stairwell Carollers (@StairwellChoir) September 17, 2012

With Gord Atkinson as our DJ mentor, we were on the radio quite a bit over the years, and became acquainted with other other radio personalities. Of course, we sang for  every Christmas exchange broadcast for many years to come.

CFMO had already produced a vinyl recording of carols to benefit local charity, and Gord suggested they produce a recording of the Stairwell Carollers to benefit Ronald McDonald House at CHEO, Ottawa.



 It's amusing to see where the album still turns up on the 'Net. Amazon, Ebay and other venders usually have a couple available. Here is the Google search if you want to try to get one. I personally still have two copies, but one is warped. I believe they only did one large pressing.



For those who are not aware, The House provides a comfortable home-type environment  that can house entire families for a nominal fee per night (free if they cannot afford it) who want to stay near their critically ill children while they receive treatment at Cheo.  

McDonald's funded the original construction of the Ronald McDonald Houses, but aside from the occasional fund-raising campaign, do not pay for any of the upkeep.
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You can pre-order CANTATE DOMINO HERE

Cantate Domino is dedicated to the memory of Paul Churchill, Tenor, whose voice and heart will be forever remembered.

Cantate Domino will be pressed in October -- if you live in the Ottawa area, you can purchase our CDs directly from choir members. 

You can also buy them at Ottawa area stores, online, or at our live concerts.