Our TOP 10 videos on YouTube -- #1 "Come Again" -- Dowland

Number 1 on our TOP TEN YouTube videos,

is "Come Again", a playful Madrigal

Come Again, a madrigal of the temptations of love, by John Dowland, c.1563 - 1626,  an English composer of the Renaissance.

Sung by the Stairwell Carollers, an cappella Ottawa choir, formed in 1977 by director Pierre Massie. A non-profit organization, they raise funds for local charities through concert, CD and cookbook sales.

Visit our blog or our website for updates.

Audio: Tom Barnes.  Recorded at St. Charles Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, June 8th, 2001.

Editing: Pierre Massie

Our TOP 10 videos on YouTube -- #2 "Missa brevis" -- Antonio Lotti

Number 2 on our TOP TEN YouTube videos

is our most popular Mass, "Missa brevis".

Ottawa choir, The Stairwell Carollers, perform "Missa brevis", a 17th century sacred mass by Antonio Lotti (ca. 1667 -- 1740).

This version of "Missa brevis" is available on our new sacred songs from the Renaissance CD, "Cantate Domino", released  October 2012.

All our CDs are available in both CD and MP3 format.

Audio: Tom Barnes.  St-Charles Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, June 8th, 2001.

Editing: Pierre Massie

Visit our blog or our website for updates.

Our TOP 10 videos on YouTube -- #3 "Les Anges dans nos campagnes"

Number 3 on our TOP TEN YouTube videos

Is a popular French carol, "Les Anges dans nos campagnes".
You can find the lyrics HERE

"Les Anges dans nos campagnes" performed by The Stairwell Carollers, joined by the Stairwell Caroller alumni on Dec 15, 2007 at their "30 Years of Song" concert.

The Stairwell Carollers are an a cappella Ottawa choir, formed in 1977 by director Pierre Massie. A non-profit organization, they raise funds for local charities through concert, CD and cookbook sales.

This version of "Les Anges dans nos campagnes" is on our first Xmas CD, "Qui Creavit Celum".  

All our CDs are available on our website in both CD form and as MP3 downloads.

Visit our blog or our website for updates.

Audio: Tom Barnes.  Recorded at St.Charles Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Dec 15, 2007.

Editing: Pierre Massie

Our TOP 10 videos on YouTube -- #4 "Ay linda amiga"

Number 4 on our TOP TEN YouTube videos,

"Ay linda amiga", a melancholy Madrigal about the pain of lost love.
Spanish lyrics and an English translation are HERE

Ottawa choir, The Stairwell Carollers, perform "Ay linda amiga", a 16 century anonymous madrigal from Spain.

"Ay linda amiga" is on our Renaissance Madrigals CD, “Audite Nova”. 

All our Cds are available in both CD and MP3 formats.

Visit our blog or our website for updates.

Audio: Tom Barnes.  Recorded at St-Charles Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada  June 8th, 2001.

Editing: Pierre Massie

Our TOP 10 videos on YouTube -- #5 "Carol of the Bells"

Number 5 on our TOP TEN YouTube videos

is an all-time favourite Christmas carol, "Carol of the Bells".
The lyrics are HERE

The Stairwell Carollers, perform "Carol of the Bells" by the famous composer, Anonymous, in a setting by Peter Wilhousky.

"Carol of the Bells" is recorded on "Qui Creavit Celum", the caroller's first Christmas CD.

All Stairwell Caroller CDs are available in both CD and MP3 format on our website.

The Stairwell Carollers are an a cappella Ottawa choir, formed in 1977 by director Pierre Massie. A non-profit organization, they raise funds for local charities through concert, CD and cookbook sales.

Buy our CDs!!!  They make great Christmas gifts and they help local charities.

Visit our blog or our website for updates.

Audio: Tom Barnes.  Recorded at St. Charles Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Dec 18, 2009.

Editing: Pierre Massie

Our TOP 10 videos on YouTube -- #6 "Past Three O'Clock" -- Charles Wood

Number 6 on our TOP TEN YouTube videos

is a splendid compilation carol, "Past Three O'Clock".
You can read the lyrics HERE

"Past Three O'Clock" -- by Charles Wood and arranged by William Llewellyn -- sung by the Stairwell Carollers,  an a cappella Ottawa choir, formed in 1977 by director Pierre Massie.

A non-profit organization, they raise funds for local charities through concert, CD and cookbook sales.
This version of "Past Three O'Clock" is on our "I Saw A Swete Semly Syght" CD. 

All our CDs are available on our website in both CD form and as MP3 downloads.

Visit our blog or our website for updates.

Audio: Tom Barnes. Recorded at their December 8th 2000 Christmas concert at St. Charles church, Ottawa, Canada..

Editing: Pierre Massie

Stairwell Carollers 2013 group photo DONE!

2013 Stairwell Carollers (minus a few that couldn't make it for the pic)

Here we are on the steps of my favourite venue, St. Charles in Vanier.

Too bad it's no longer a church.

 Budget restrictions forced its closure and sent the congregation packing to a newer place of worship nearby. Sadly, St. Charles may become condos in the future -- sacrilegious to me, pardon the pun.

 Hey, I'm not Catholic, but it is such a lovely church -- all ivory and gold inside with a huge contemporary stained glass window over the alter.

Built in the classic cathedral shape, the quality of the sound at concerts was outstanding, with a wondrous echo coming back to us, filling the space with our voices.

The only reason we did not record CDs there is  the constant traffic noise from Beechwood Avenue, impossible to filter out.

Ah, well... we have lovely memories of singing there -- doing our group photo there again seems right.

Our 2007 group photo

A few choir members couldn't make it to the photo shoot -- really, just me with my camera on tripod, tiny remote clicker in hand --  so I may try to morph some of them in from old group photos.

Rex, Kelly, Maggie and Nicole are in this one from 2011

Well, maybe not that old...

way back in 2008

Ha -- love those photo effects.

Well, we'll see what wonders I can wring out of my photo program... stayed tuned...

Christe, Redemptor omnium - Pierre Massie -- The Stairwell Carollers, 30th Anniversary Concert

"Christe, Redemptor omnium" performed by The Stairwell Carollers on Dec 15, 2007 at their "30 Years of Song" concert. The Stairwell Carollers are an a cappella Ottawa choir, formed in 1977 by director Pierre Massie. A non-profit organization, they raise funds for local charities through concert, CD and cookbook sales.

Buy our CDs!!!
This version of "Christe, Redemptor omnium " is available on our "Laudemus cum armonia" CD.

Travellers three - Pierre Massie -- The Stairwell Carollers, 30th Anniversary Concert

"Travellers three", an original composition by Pierre Massie -- all rights reserved --  performed by The Stairwell Carollers on Dec 15, 2007 at their "30 Years of Song" concert. The Stairwell Carollers are an a cappella Ottawa choir, formed in 1977 by director Pierre Massie. A non-profit organization, they raise funds for local charities through concert, CD and cookbook sales.

Buy our CDs!!! This version of "Travellers three" is available on our "Laudemus cum armonia" CD. 

Good King Wenceslaus - arr: Parker, Shaw -- The Stairwell Carollers, 30th Anniversary Concert

Night Snow -- photo copyright Holly Massie, all rights reserved

"Good King Wenceslaus" performed by The Stairwell Carollers on Dec 15, 2007 at their "30 Years of Song" concert. The Stairwell Carollers are an a cappella Ottawa choir, formed in 1977 by director Pierre Massie. A non-profit organization, they raise funds for local charities through concert, CD and cookbook sales.

Buy our CDs!!! This version of "Good King Wenceslaus" is available on our "I saw a swete semly syght" CD.

Away in a Manger - arr: John Rutter-- The Stairwell Carollers, 30th Anniversary Concert

setting up the risers at St. Charles church, Vanier

"Away in a Manger", arrangement by John Rutter and performed by The Stairwell Carollers on Dec 15, 2007 at their "30 Years of Song" concert.  The Stairwell Carollers are an a cappella Ottawa choir, formed in 1977 by director Pierre Massie. A non-profit organization, they raise funds for local charities through concert, CD and cookbook sales.

Buy our CDs!!! This version of "Away in a Manger" is available on our "Mourning Dove" CD.

Ding Dong Merrily on High - arr: Charles Wood -- The Stairwell Carollers, 30th Anniversary Concert

Detail of the Reliquary (where the communion wafers and vessels are kept) -- St. Charles church in Vanier

"Ding Dong Merrily on High" performed by The Stairwell Carollers on Dec 15, 2007 at their "30 Year of Song" concert.

The Stairwell Carollers are an a cappella Ottawa choir, formed in 1977 by director Pierre Massie. A non-profit organization, they raise funds for local charities through concert, CD and cookbook sales.

Buy our CDs!!!  This version of "Ding Dong Merrily on High" is available on our "Qui creavit celum" CD.

Exultate justi in Domino by Lodovico Grossi da Viadana - sung by The Stairwell Carollers, Ottawa.

St. Charles Church, Ottawa

Ottawa choir, The Stairwell Carollers, perform "Exultate justi in Domino" by Lodovico Grossi da Viadana (1560 -- 1627). He was an Italian composer of the late Renaissance.

St-Charles Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, June 8th, 2001.

Exultate justi in Domino by Lodovico Grossi da Viadana - The Stairwell Carollers, Ottawa. stairwellcarollers.blogspot.ca/2011/08/exulta… #choralmusic #YouTube

— Holly Massie (@HollyWroteit) November 6, 2012

Jubilate Deo by Orlande de Lassus - The Stairwell Carollers, Ottawa.

Stained Glass at St Charles church, Ottawa

Ottawa choir, The Stairwell Carollers, perform "Jubilate Deo" by Orlande de Lassus (also Orlandus Lassus, Orlando di Lasso, Roland de Lassus, or Roland Delattre) (1532 -- 1594). He was a Franco-Flemish composer of the late Renaissance. St-Charles Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, June 8th, 2001.

Jesu Dulcis - da Vittoria -- performed by The Stairwell Carollers, Ottawa.

Creche

Tourdion - Claude Gervaise, The Stairwell Carollers, Ottawa

Dancing at a Stairwell Carollers Christmas party

Ottawa choir, The Stairwell Carollers, perform "Tourdion" by Claude Gervaise (1540 -- 1560) a French composer, editor and arranger of the Renaissance. St-Charles Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, June 8th, 2001.

Gaillarde - Hans Leo Hassler, The Stairwell Carollers, Ottawa.

Ottawa Tulip Festival  photo, Holly Massie

Ottawa choir, The Stairwell Carollers, perform "Gaillarde" by Hans Leo Hassler (1564 --1612) a German composer of the Renaissance & early Baroque. St-Charles Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, June 8th, 2001.

O vos omnes - Tomas Luis de Victoria, The Stairwell Carollers, Ottawa.

PRESS RELEASE -- The Stairwell Carollers: Auditions for 2011

A cappella singing at its finest

January 3, 2011

For Immediate Release

(Ottawa) – The Stairwell Carollers are inviting tenors and basses to audition.  Here are the top 10 reasons singers have eagerly sought to be in this bilingual choir, entering its 34th year.

Why Join The Stairwell Carollers?

1.      The tight-knit, intimate style and purity of sound produced by this a cappella chamber choir, first-place winners in the 2010 Ontario Music Festivals Association provincial competition.

2.      The unique experience of singing under the direction of an award-winning composer and arranger, Pierre Massie, who magically leads the choir from within the tenor section.

3.      The chance to sing in a wide variety of languages: English, French, Latin, German, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Polish and Welsh, to name just a few.

4.      The diversity of musical styles: from Renaissance and Baroque to modern arrangements.

5.      The joy of sharing enchanting music with audiences in diverse settings: from acoustically rich churches throughout the Ottawa Valley, to prestigious venues such as the Rideau Chapel in the National Gallery of Canada.

6.      The unique chance to present world-premiere performances of original choral compositions written, by choir director Pierre Massie, especially for the Stairwell Carollers.

7.      The opportunity to record CDs of the highest professional standards (6 so far).

8.      The ability to give back to the community in several ways. The choir is a registered charity and has donated over $40,000 to local charities from concert fees and CD and ticket sales.

9.      The opportunity to reach out to young musicians.  The Carollers sponsor an annual music scholarship competition for area students who intend to pursue a music degree at university.

10.   Last, but certainly not least, the great pleasure of working closely, in French and English, with singers of diverse musical and cultural backgrounds from urban and rural centres throughout eastern Ontario and western Quebec.

If these reasons appeal to you, get in touch with us for an audition.  All you need are a solid voice, a good ear and a great attitude.  Reading music is an asset but not a necessity.  Arrange a time by sending an email message to info@stairwellcarollers.com or phoning 613-746-2779.

The Stairwell Carollers rehearse on Wednesday evenings from 6:45 to 9:00 at St. Columba Anglican Church, 24 Sandridge Rd. (Manor Park).  For more information, visit www.stairwellcarollers.com.

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CHRISTMAS CAROL COUNTDOWN -- 15 TOP CAROLS - #15

Counting down from #15  "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen"

"God Rest ye Merry, Gentlemen" was audience choice #15 in our countdown. It was performed by The Stairwell Carollers on Dec 18, 2009 at their "Carols à la Carte" concert, where the audience got to choose their favorite 15 carols from a list of 25.