CC Podcast S. 2 #13 - SSShort and SSSweet

Choral Cacophony Podcast goes snaky this week with a physical warmup exercise for diaphragmatic breathing - done in a standing position.

Teeth together, mouth slightly open, deep breath and release the breath in a controlled manner. Allow only the tiniest stream of air to be released in a smooth hisssss.

SSSSSSSSSSSS...

It's a room full of leaky tires.

We revisit an earlier CC Podcast breath control exercise - with a little more direction from Pierre about the importance of the diaphragm in breathing.

About the choir:

Pierre Massie began the a cappella choir 40 years ago, in 1977,  while a music student at Ottawa University. 

The Stairwell Carollers are ranked with the best of Ontario choirs, winning both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions. 

A registered Canadian charity, they also help local charities with concert, CD and cookbook sales. Net proceeds benefit local charity.

CC Podcast S. 2 #10 - Spring Forward with Octave Jumps

Look down before you leap.

Whaaaat?

This week's Choral Cacophony Podcast features a warmup you can do to help with Octave jumps AND relaxed open tones.

The secret??

Looking down. Yes.

Literally. Looking down.


Looking UP to reach a high note - straining for a note - can close off your air flow and tense up your muscles unnecessarily.

So, look down when you reach up for that note.

Try it, it works.

Chapter 1 - Warmup begins with vowels on single notes then arpeggios. Pierre encourages bright clear notes.
Chapter 2 - Drop down an octave and continue arpeggios going down.
Chapter 3 - Octave jumps. Pierre discusses clean notes with no "stretching' for the notes. Looking at the floor helps to relax and let the sound be open. Positioning is important.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie began our a cappella choir 40 years ago, in 1977,  while he was a music student at Ottawa U. 

The Stairwell Carollers are now ranked with the best of Ontario choirs, winning both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions. 

A registered Canadian charity, we also help local charities with our concert, CD and cookbook sales. Net proceeds benefit charity.

Please DONATE to support our 40th year workshops! 

CC Podcast S. 2 #9 - - Movable Do - Dissonance!

How high can you go? And can you hold that note?

Does dissonance pull you away from your part? Stay with your section and stay in tune!

Those are the two skills practiced in this week's Choral Cacophony Podcast. As an alto I know all about having to hold one note... for...ever. I've called us the Polyfilla of the choir since we always seem to fill the cracks missed by the other harmonies.

In Modern and Contemporary music the dissonances in the musical design can be challenging - to say the least.

Sing hard..  I mean - work well, um, you know what I mean.

Chapter 1 - Warmup begins with arpeggios on vowels. Staccato.
Chapter 2 - Moving up the scales.
Chapter 3 - Top note on Ah and HOLD.
Chapter 4 - Down the Major scale following Movable Do hand signs. Find your part and stay in tune!
Chapter 5 -  Pierre explains the concept behind the hand symbols in Movable Do.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie began our a cappella choir 40 years ago, in 1977,  while he was a music student at Ottawa U. 

The Stairwell Carollers are now ranked with the best of Ontario choirs, winning both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions. 

A registered Canadian charity, we also help local charities with our concert, CD and cookbook sales. Net proceeds benefit charity.

Please DONATE to support our 40th year workshops! 

CC Podcast S. 2 #8 - Play Ball! Bat 1000 in your Spring vocal warmups

We're all on hold waiting and wanting the spring flowers to appear. Our new singing season starts and it's a whole new ballgame - 40th, contemporary, Canadian!

Personally, I can't wait to see the first flowers pop up through the snow.

It's early innings in our rehearsals and there are still songs to learn and skills to hone.

So, for our Choral Cacophony Podcast Season 2 Number 8, here's a fresh warmup that covers all the bases.

Chapter 1 - Warmup begins with vowels and mouth positioning - Pierre leads the vocalization with semitone changes.

Chapter 2 - Arpeggios on vowels until it hurts :P

Chapter 3 - Scales on Do - using movable Do hand signs. Two groups - one for each hand. Alto and Bass - Soprano and Tenor. Challenging harmonies.

The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie began our a cappella choir 40 years ago, in 1977,  while he was a music student at Ottawa U. 

The Stairwell Carollers are now ranked with the best of Ontario choirs, winning both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions. 

A registered Canadian charity, we also help local charities with our concert, CD and cookbook sales. Net proceeds benefit charity.

Please DONATE to support our 40th year workshops! 

New Ear Challenge! Movable Do Choral Cacophony Podcast Season 2, episode #1

On your way to visit the Peace Tower? Check this out first!

Can you hear your part?

Pierre warms up the choir with a simple arpeggios then starts some Movable Do work.

Your task is to figure out what your part is. Along the way there are some hints!
Use this to warm up your voice and test your listening skills.

Then, guest conductor Mark Sirett takes over with a direction to bring less sound neutrality with changes in lip position.

He also discusses the tendency to slide from Re to Do and the significance of the movable Do hand signs.

Book Mark Sirett to workshop your choir!

Please DONATE to support our 40th year events ! 

All Donations receive a charitable receipt.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie started our a cappella choir in 1977 while a music student at Ottawa University. The Stairwell Carollers are ranked with the best of Ontario choirs, winning both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions. 

A registered Canadian charity, we also help local charities with our concert, CD and cookbook sales.

Choral Cacophony Podcast #17 Singing like the Angels

As Pierre always says, vocal strength, power, quality and control is in the diaphragm, not the throat, lungs, vocal chords or some mysterious chest muscles.

In this simple exercise, Pierre leads the choir to focus on diaphragm control to release notes gently yet powerfully.

To sing like angels !


Chapter 1 - the choir warms up on AW, O, EH, AW,O
Chapter 2 - starting with one note, Pierre encourages breathe control for a gentle note entry.
Chapter 3 - Pierre discusses using the diaphragm for control and hearing the sound in our mind before letting it out.

A concert not to be missed! 

Come hear the Stairwell Carollers sing “A Canadian Christmas” at Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Lisgar Street, 7:30pm on December 15th.

The Stairwell Carollers will present a special 40th anniversary donation of $3,000 to the Shepherds of Good Hope on the 15th - a result of their first ever “Sponsor a Song” fundraising campaign.

Tickets are $20 at the door, 

 $15 in advance at 

http://www.stairwellcarollers.com/Concerts.html; 

The Leading Note, 370 Elgin St; 

Compact Music, 206 & 785 ½ Bank St locations; 

Books on Beechwood, 35 Beechwood Ave.

Hope to see you at Knox Presbyterian on the 15th!

Please DONATE to support our 40th year workshops! 

All Donations receive a charitable receipt.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie started our a cappella choir in 1977 while he was a music student at Ottawa University. The Stairwell Carollers are ranked alongside the best of Ontario choirs, winning both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions. 

A registered Canadian charity, we also help out local charities with our concert, CD, and cookbook sales.

Choral Cacophony Podcast #13 on the 13th! Mark Sirett Workshop Special Treat

Back on October 14th, we were fortunate to have an amazing workshop with master teacher, choral director and composer, Mark Sirett. 

There were so many wonderful exercises he did with us that simply do not translate to written description or even audio clips; the only way to really appreciate the depth of the choral experience is to book a workshop with the man himself .

Here, I will attempt to give you a taste of just one moment of the 4 hours he gave to us.

This little audio excerpt illustrates two simple seeming exercises using Pierre's arrangement of "We Three Kings of Orient Are". 

Both exercises could be adapted using any song.

The first exercise Marks works on our vowels and sound and mouth position and then he flexes our storytelling chops with the second exercise. Notice how wonderfully he blends humour, anecdotes and the serious vocal work.

Thanks Mark! 

Book Mark to work with your choir HERE.

Please DONATE to support our 40th year workshops! 

All Donations receive a charitable receipt.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie started our a cappella choir in 1977 while he was a music student at Ottawa University. The Stairwell Carollers are ranked alongside the best of Ontario choirs, winning both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions. 

A registered Canadian charity, we also help out local charities with our concert, CD, and cookbook sales.

Choral Cacophony Podcast #12 - The Julie Andrews Connection

For some reason, Pete always calls this warmup the "Julie Andrews" one. 

Despite searching, I haven't found an actual connection between her and the exercise. 

That doesn't mean there isn't one -- in my mind--- Imagining Ms. Andrews doing this warmup seems to encourage me, at least, to help my pronunciation be a bit more British- ey and crisp. Whatever, it has a good result and is a nice variation on a scale warmup.

Chapter 1 - Warmup in unison on vowels, then  Pierre teaches the simple tune for the warmup.

Chapter 2 -  Incorporating the words with the tune.

Chapter 3 - A little faster and moving up the scale - still in unison.

Chapter 4 - and finally different notes for basses/ altos and tenors/sopranos to make it a round - ear-training!!!

The words:

I just want to sing today

And sing correctly all the way

Because to sing correctly is the way to sing

Here, as a bonus, is a great compilation video illustrating Ms. Andrews awesome voice and her amazing range.

Please DONATE to support our 40th year workshops! 

All Donations receive a charitable receipt.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie started our a cappella choir in 1977 while he was a music student at Ottawa University. The Stairwell Carollers are ranked alongside the best of Ontario choirs, winning both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions. 

A registered Canadian charity, we also help out local charities with our concert, CD, and cookbook sales.

Choral Cacophony Podcast #11 Warmup Tongue-Twister Time

This week's warm-up seems a lot like whitewater rafting - an out of control ride, moving forward. In reality, singing - like rafting - is about letting go and having control (so you don't lose it, tip or fall in.)

So, to our warm up.

Chapter 1 -  Pierre starts with a simple scale warm up on O,  A,  E, o and A - yes, it's High!
Chapter 2 - Now a fast scale - listen to Pete! He gives us a break and we don't have to do the "words".
Chapter 3 - Pierre says "no Jaw" - he means to keep the jaw relaxed and still. The vowel changes happen inside the mouth.
Chapter 4 - We start "Patapan" -  see photo of the sheet music.  The warm up had purpose re our speed and accuracy.

I've included the start of the first song of rehearsal, Patapan - a popular french carol about the little drummer boy, to show how the warmup is related to the performance of the song.

This is a new arrangement by Pierre, performed for the first time last Christmas season. Watch for it on our YouTube channel!

If you are a choir director and want Pierre to publish this arrangement so you can do it with your choir, please tell us in an email at info (at) stairwellcarollers.com

Please DONATE to support our 40th year events ! 

All Donations receive a charitable receipt.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie started our a cappella choir in 1977 while a music student at Ottawa University. The Stairwell Carollers are ranked with the best of Ontario choirs, winning both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions. 

A registered Canadian charity, we also help local charities with our concert, CD and cookbook sales.

Choral Cacophony Podcast finds a Home! UPDATE

https://anchor.fm/choral-cacophony-podcast

(UPDATE - Nov 2019 - due to cancellation of the free Podiant Community, we have had to now move the podcast to Anchor - thx to PODIANT for supporting us for the past two years. 

We are proud and happy to announce that the terrific Podcast host PODIANT has welcomed The Stairwell Carollers Choral Cacophony Podcast as a part of their community. 

From live rehearsal audio with The Stairwell Carollers, each Podcast is 6 minutes or less. 

For singers who want to improve performance - solo or in chorus. 

Warmups, ear training, rehearsal and challenging vocal gymnastics with Director Pierre Massie are fun and challenging. 

Live and fresh, the Choral Cacophony Podcast will help any vocalist develop their range, enunciation, breath control and vocal quality. 

Sound advice for singers who want to improve their listening, rhythm and pronunciation for songs in multiple languages. 

Practice along with the choir to improve your ear training and vocal technique, phrasing and tempo.

A new episode every Monday.

This means that our little podcast is recognized by PODIANT as a valued community resource with fees waived indefinitely!

For the choir this is  a wonderful thing, since most podcasting hosts charge yearly, if not monthly, fees that we have no budget for.

For me, since the podcast is kind of my baby, it is so gratifying to have this kind of validation and thank you from such a wonderful professional hosting company.

Anyone who wants to start a podcast would be hard pressed to find a better host than PODIANT.

Their interface is attractive, modern and easy to use and the analytics are very cool. It's neat to know how many subscribers, streams and downloads we have had and the interactive world map shows us what countries they are from too.

Every email I have sent while  learning how to use the platform has always been promptly answered by a caring person. And when I put in our application to become a member of the community, they jumped to answer us with a resounding YES in a matter of days.

Thank you PODIANT, from the bottom of our hearts for this gift.

Choral Cacophony Podcast #8 - Minor... is there anything Finer?

Nothing could be finer, than to sing Harmonic Minor in the mo-o-orning...
Well, maybe not the MORNING (cough)

Harmonic Minor Scales are tricky to say the least. They sound spooky too -- just in time for Hallowe'en.

Oooooooooo
Ahhhhhhh

I could go on, but now I'm just being silly. This short and sweet warmup will test your ear -- don't be scared to do it over and over until you've got it right!

Guaranteed to improve your feel for Minor scales and give you confidence in recognizing intervals :)

Chapter 1 - Warm up with scales - on Ah and O in thirds
Chapter 2 - Starting lower with a Minor Scale - Pierre explains Minor and avoiding the term "natural"
Chapter 3 - Harmonic Minor scale on La and the Arpeggio
Chapter 4 - Minor Scale in thirds - Pierre demonstrates, then the choir
Chapter 5 - A new note, another Minor scale, and then in thirds again

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie started our a cappella choir in 1977 while he was a music student at Ottawa U. The Stairwell Carollers are ranked with the best of Ontario choirs, winning both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions. 

A registered Canadian charity, we help local charities with our concert, CD and cookbook sales.

Please DONATE to for our 40th year events! 

All Donations receive a charitable receipt.

Choral Cacophony Podcast #7 O Claire De la Lune Cacophony!

When Pierre presented us with a warmup that he invented (I think) using an old favourite French children's song, O Claire De la Lune, we thought he had lost it.

Maybe he was yearning for his childhood. simpler times.

But I digress...

He made us sing it in a round. All four parts, soprano, alto, tenor and bass on the same note. Cacophony!

it's an incredible exercise for our ears. The challenge of staying in tune with your section ( I'm an alto) and then not drifting out of key is right up our stairwell, I mean alley, a cappella-wise.

Here are the words so you can sing along with the podcast.

Au clair de la lune

Mon ami Pierrot

Prête-moi ta plume

Pour écrire un mot

Ma chandelle est morte,

Je n'ai plus de feu.

Ouvre-moi ta porte

Pour l'amour de Dieu.

Find your part, find your note and train that ear!

Chapter 1 - Warmup scale
Chapter 2 - Sections singing sustained notes together on different vowels - tuning through dissonance.
Chapter 3 - Warmup O claire de la Lune - getting the notes for the sections
Chapter 4 - O claire de la Lune in 4 parts - first all together, then as a Round.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie started our a cappella choir in 1977 while he was a music student at Ottawa U. The Stairwell Carollers are ranked with the best of Ontario choirs, winning both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions. 

A registered Canadian charity, we help local charities with our concert, CD and cookbook sales.

Please DONATE to for our 40th year events! 

All Donations receive a charitable receipt.

Choral Cacophony Podcast #5 - Movable Do - DOH!

The Director introduces Movable Do in a warm-up.

Chapter 1 - The Director tunes the choir to a single note on vowels in warmup.
Chapter 2 - The choir sings a scale in two parts with Movable Do Hand Signs (see video)

Please DONATE to support our 40th year events ! 

All Donations receive a charitable receipt.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie started our a cappella choir in 1977 while a music student at Ottawa University. The Stairwell Carollers are ranked with the best of Ontario choirs, winning both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions. 

A registered Canadian charity, we also help local charities with our concert, CD and cookbook sales.

Choral Cacophony Podcast #4 Scales!

Our director puts us through a warmup of scales.

Tackled - Legato/ staccato, and octave jumps using Movable Do .
Chapter 1 - Warm-up Scales -  staccato/ legato.
Chapter 2 - Warm-up Scales -  up Octave and vowels.
Chapter 3 - Warm-up Scales -  down an Octave.
Chapter 4 - Warm-up Scale on La.

Happy Singing!

Please DONATE to support our 40th year events ! 

All Donations receive a charitable receipt.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie started our a cappella choir in 1977 while a music student at Ottawa University. The Stairwell Carollers are ranked with the best of Ontario choirs, winning both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions. 

A registered Canadian charity, we also help local charities with our concert, CD and cookbook sales.

Podcast #3 - Warm up those vowels!

Choral Cacophony Podcast #3 Vocal Warmup and mouth positioning for vowels
Our director, Pierre, leads the choir in a warmup to practice proper mouth positioning for vowels. French vowels are included. This podcast can be used to improve your own mouth positioning for singing vowels and as a good general vocal warmup.

Chapters:

 Pierre shows how the mouth position stays the same for all vowels.
Mouth positioning for the English E (as in Wee) and the French U (as in Cuisine)
The Oo sound - lips and tongue, where are they?
Warmup with the vowels, O, Ahhh, French A (as in La), E changing to French U.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie started our a cappella choir in 1977 while a music student at Ottawa University. The Stairwell Carollers are ranked with the best of Ontario choirs, winning both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions. 

A registered Canadian charity, we help local charities with our concert, CD and cookbook sales.

Please DONATE to for our 40th year events! 

All Donations receive a charitable receipt.

Mini Blog Challenge Party -- Choir How-To -- 10 tips to help your choir be AMAZING!

The Stairwell Carollers present a $2000 cheque to a local Ottawa charity

Friday's Challenge -- Helpful list post -- 10 Choir Tips for Choirage Amazingness

 

Pierre finds a note

1. Choose a director with vision, commitment to excellence and confidence in his ability to teach and lead. If YOU are the director -- sit down and decide what kind of choir you want before going further.

Start with style -- a cappella, accompanied, Pop or barbershop? These all require different skill-sets and the director should be comfortable in the style chosen. The director should know what he wants and go for it with passion and energy.

2. Hold auditions. There are lots of choirs out there that do not require auditions, but to perfect a specific style, and to have control over the choir's sound, auditions help choose the perfect voices for your style.

3. Have regular rehearsals and TAKE ATTENDANCE. A choir striving for excellence cannot be a drop-in experience. Over time, the great people who are truly dedicated to the work will always be there.

Relaxing at Cantate Domino recording session

4. Keep it light. A sense of humour is paramount to a good experience. When everyone is trying their best, crabby criticism by stressed out choir members is the last thing anyone needs.

The director should set the tone and let everyone know they can laugh about mistakes and move forward.

Pete often makes us laugh at rehearsal

5. Do Warmups. Vocal warmups can tune up rhythm, timing, listening -- and, of course, get the voice ready for the two hours of singing ahead. In addition, a warmup can be a bonding ritual for the group that can have a meditative effect.

6. Be prepared. Learn as much of your music part before the rehearsal. The time can then be spent on dynamics and enjoying the harmonies and music as you are singing. If you are just focused on learning each note, you will miss what makes rehearsal so rewarding -- the group experience.

7. Have a Mandate. No -- not a date with a man... a purpose for your choir, aside from learning some songs and singing together. Do you want to sing at Carnegie hall -- or the local homeless shelter? Do you want to make money for choir trips or for diabetes research?

Forming a choir committee to discuss why the choir exists and even to write a constitution will help everyone be on the same page.

8. Post video with QUALITY SOUND on YouTube. It really is worth it to hire someone to audio record your concert. This can be synced with your video recording and will sound MUCH better than the video's sound.

Remember, YouTube may be where many people get their first impression of your choir.

9. Set Goals. Having a well-organized rehearsal schedule and concert dates in advance gives everyone something to strive towards and look forward to.

10. Have Fun!! Enjoy the moment. Live in the moment. Cliche, I know -- but true. Vocal Music is from the heart and to be lived and created from moment to moment. With no instrument, singing is a personal gift and your rehearsals should be uplifting, joyful and full of camaraderie.

Our wonderful sopranos!

 .