As it says on the Governor General's website, "Since founding the Stairwell Carollers in 1977, Pierre Massie has been an ambassador for choral music and instrumental in spreading the joy and beauty of a cappella music both locally and around the world. Proceeds from the group’s concerts go to many local charities and scholarship programs."
Pete was surprised and thrilled to hear of his nomination and subsequent award earlier in the year, but was hesitant to brag about it. Now the cat is out of the bag!
From the Governor General's website"The Medal for Volunteers consists of a silver circular medal that is 36 mm in diameter with a suspension ring. The obverse depicts a contemporary effigy of the Sovereign, circumscribed with the inscription in capital letters of the Canadian Royal Title and the word “CANADA”, separated by two maple leaves.
The reverse indicates the ideas of caring and generosity, represented by two interlaced hearts. The sunburst pattern of the rim symbolizes the time that volunteers are giving and their actions. The ribbon uses the viceregal colours of blue and gold. The five gold stripes evoke the fingers of a hand, present in the Caring Canadian Award emblem, while the deep red colour is associated with royalty.
The design of medal was created by the Canadian Heraldic Authority, based on a concept by Darcy DeMarsico of the Chancellery of Honours. The medal is manufactured by the Royal Canadian Mint at its Ottawa facility."
Pierre would like to thank those who submitted his nomination. He also thanks The Governor General of Canada, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, for choosing him for this Award.
A teaser playlist of a few of the carols you will hear at our concerts. Enjoy!
About The Stairwell Carollers:
Pierre Massie created our a cappella choir in 1977 while a music student at Ottawa University. The Stairwell Carollers are ranked among the best of Ontario choirs, winning both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions.
A registered Canadian charity, our group helps local charities with net proceeds from concert, CD and cookbook sales.
Top 10 reasons to audition for my Ottawa Choir, The Stairwell Carollers: #8 - You get to sing award-winning songs, like Pierre Massie's "Eya, eya gaudeamus", the title track of our spring 2018 program.
Thanks to David Rain for his awesome series : Top 10 reasons to audition for The Stairwell Carollers - posted on FaceBook and reproduced here with his permission. To set up your audition in the last week of January 2018, email: info(at)stairwellcarollers.com
Pierre Massie started our a cappella choir in 1977 while a music student at Ottawa University. The Stairwell Carollers are ranked withthe 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.
Michel also worked with Pierre Massie in his a pop cappella group SAIJ (pronounced "sage") from 1997 to 2003. They performed in the Ottawa region at many venues and festivals - including the St. Jean Baptiste festival at Nepean Point, which was televised. They also sang on the Parliament Hill main stage for Canada day - televised Nationally. To top off their accomplishments, SAIJ won a Trille Or (the French counterpart to The Juno).
In 1999, Michel founded LGS (Le Groupe Swing), a Franco-Ontarian musical group whose first album brought widespread attention. LGS has performed over 200 times across Canada and around the world. To date, the group has won 12 Trille D'or awards and Attracted over 1.5 million YouTube views.
Dr. Andrea McCrady was named Dominion Carillonneur in 2008. She plays the Peace Tower every weekday and on request to serve parliamentarians.
She took up the carillon in 1971 as an undergraduate at Trinity College, CT. A medical doctor, Dr. McCrady retired in 2006 to continue her study of the carillon and received her Bachelor of Music magna cum laude from the University of Denver in 2008. She now serves as instructor in carillon studies at Carleton University.
She has adapted for the carillon, and performed, five of Pierre's carols - including Mourning Dove.
For nearly 30 years, Joel Haslam has been the Host and producer of Regional Contact - a local Ottawa "good news" show (now a segment of CTV news). He champions the heartwarming stories of everyday people engaged in extraordinary life adventures. Regional Contact has featured the Stairwell Carollers on a number of occasions, helping the choir increase its audience base along the way. Soon after the first segment, Joel joined the choir as a tenor and sang with the Stairwell Carollers from 1991 to 1993.
Joel holds degrees in journalism and political science from Carleton University. He is a two-time recipient of the prestigious Dave Rogers award, presented to a Canadian journalist producing and reporting the best national television feature.
Denyse Mageau is a soprano and has sung with the Stairwell Carollers since 1978, shortly after the choir made its official debut.
Born in Sturgeon Falls, Denyse was a teacher for 36 years. She taught Secondary level French and Cinema in schools through Ontario and in Germany. After retirement, she published children's stories and tales of her world travels. Thanks to a program of the Arts Council of Ontario, she was able to introduce poetry to children through singing and wordplay.
Come hear the Stairwell Carollers sing “A Canadian Christmas” TONIGHT at Knox Presbyterian Church, 120 Lisgar Street, 7:30pm (December 15th, 2017).
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.
The Stairwell Carollers are deeply honoured to have received the following special messages from Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.Q., C.D., Governor General of Canada.
The messages are in English and French and congratulate the Stairwell Carollers and Director Pierre Massie on their upcoming 40th anniversary season, their multilingual musical achievements, as well as their humanitarian endeavours.
I am thrilled to announce that we have won the 2013 OMFA Provincial Competition for amateur choirs in Ontario with our rendition of a 15th century Ave Maria and our director/composer Pierre Massie's original arrangement of Jesus Ahatonnia! This is the second time that we have won the provincial Hon. Barbara A. Hagerman award.The first was in 2010 :) Here is our 2013 Kiwanis win that led up to the award.
How your choir can join in the fun 1. Compete at your local music festival -- ours was the National Capital Kiwanis Music festival. Follow the instructions carefully for choice of pieces, number of pieces and documents required, such as sheet music. 2. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! 3. Okay, you attained Gold and were invited to the Provincials by the adjudicator .
4. You don't have to travel to either the Provincials or the Nationals with the choir to compete. You can make a recording with a representative of OMFA in attendance. She will then take the recording directly to the competition. Don't forget to include all necessary scores and documentation as required by OMFA. TIP We try to treat the recording like a regular rehearsal to relieve some stress.
The Stairwell Carollers entry for 2013 included Pete's original arrangement of Iesous Ahatonnia
For a number of our new Stairwellers this was a first -- to perform at Kiwanis!
The director prepares...
Every Kiwanis festival is different -- different venues, different adjudicators, but this one was quite special for two reasons. 1. Our fantastic Audience -- which included the wonderful choir Harmonia , sat and listened to us with warm enthusiasm. They were up last and we got to hear their offering -- two lovely pieces, the second accompanied by piano and violin. 2. Our dynamic and talented Adjudicator, Gerard Yun, whose jovial manner and charisma made us all very relaxed.
Our turn was taken at ORLEANS UNITED CHURCH, 111 Orleans Blvd., Orleans, as the next to last performance. Pete's original Iesous Ahatonnia arrangement pleased Ottawa Kiwanis Music festival adjudicator, Gerard Yun so much, he asked if he use the arrangement with his own choir. Our director graciously said yes. Below is a 2011 concert recording of Pete's original arrangement of Iesous Ahatonnia.
Our second piece, Ave Maria, was also well received, and the adjudication time was filled with more than enough praise for our renditions of both works. It was quite thrilling to hear all the praise and we couldn't stop grinning.
We got the library to warm up in -- very cozy
Then we got to jump through some hoops for Mr. Yun. He had us phrase some sections differently and do some interesting vocal exercises. All the while he kept piling on the praise and insisting that his suggestions were only that and that we were a wonderful group and very tight.
Warming up -- the entire pieces and then just the beginnings
He awarded us with Gold and invited us to enter the Provincial competition. So we will be recording the two pieces to send off. Wish us luck!!
Pierre Massie OCDSB Arts Integration Award 2010-2011
Pierre waiting for the event to begin
We went to the Gala at the OCDSB board office and I think Pete was a bit nervous.
Pete was thrilled to see so many friends and colleagues in attendance
It was all very grand. The place was packed with well-wishers for all the award-winners and my face got sore from smiling. Fellow carollers, friends and colleagues were there to share in Pete's big night and he was surprised how many came. He is at heart a big softie and truly a modest person. His former principal, Pat Kulka was the one who nominated him for the award without his knowledge and kept it secret till she knew he had won.
Afterwards there was an abundant spread of munchies and enough Bridgehead coffee to satisfy the excited but exhausted gaggle of educators.
A lovely night in all -- Thanks Pat -- and of course the OCDSB.
Pete with his Glebe Offbeat group at Winterlude 2010
Exciting News!
The director and founder of the Stairwell Carollers, Pierre Massie, has been chosen as the recipient of the OCDSB (Ottawa-Carleton District School Board) Arts Recognition Award for Secondary Integrated Arts for 2010-2011.
An excerpt of the email Mr. Jim Mcnabb, chair of the Awards Committee, sent Pete the other day informing him of his win is below.
Dear Pierre Massie.
It is with great pleasure that the Advisory Committee on the Arts of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board announces that you are the recipient of the Arts Recognition Award for Secondary Integrated Arts for 2010-2011. Your nomination from Principal Pat Kulka was assessed in relation to other applications and was deemed by the Committee to be very worthy of this award. Your enthusiasm and long hours of hard work as the Arts Department Head and a Music teacher inspiring your students and your fellow Arts teachers have been outstanding for years. Your mentorship of the strong Visual Arts and Drama programmes, along with your wonderful instruction in the Music Department which creates the highly appreciated Music Nights, inspires all those around you at Glebe Collegiate Institute. Most remarkable is your unique OFFBEAT group which integrates a variety of arts to produce an amazing rhythm ensemble. Your passion for the arts has enriched all your students immeasurably. Please accept our heartiest congratulations.
Sincerely,
Jim McNabb, Chair, Awards Committee ACA
Michael Wilson, Judy Kirsh, Co-Chairs, Advisory Committee on the Arts
Cc Pat Kulka, Principal, Glebe Collegiate Institute
Greg Wysynski, Instructional Coach: The Arts, OCDSB
Stairwell Carollers (we are not spammers) Rank First Place in Ontario (we are human beings)
I've included two articles here. Thanks go to Brian Fisher for finding this :)
We're in good company -- I've been getting the same message while I was just casually promoting the choir on Facebook I'm waiting for my apology and fear it may take a while.
Oddly, I am only occasionally blocked from posting to a wall. It's like the algorithm that has fingered us as "spammy" can't quite decide...
Perhaps there is hope yet.
The Stairwell Carollers at the National Gallery Christmas season 2009
Talented student to receive prestigious music scholarship
May 9, 2011
For Immediate Release
(Ottawa) – What do a University of Ottawa singer, a Concordia guitarist and a McGill tuba player all have in common?
Selina McDonell (2004), Geoff McNeely (2008) and Gabrielle Porter (2010) are all past winners of the Stairwell Carollers’ Scholarship, given annually to a talented Ottawa-Gatineau high school student going on for music studies at a Canadian university.
To date, the choir has awarded the Stairwell Carollers Scholarship to nine gifted grads, each of whom has demonstrated a very special love of music. They represent a wide range of local high schools, including Nepean, John McCrae, Canterbury, De La Salle, and Ashbury College.
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!
(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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
(Ottawa) – It was once one of Ottawa’s best-kept secrets, but no longer. This has been a “break-out” year for the Stairwell Carollers, a 25-voice gem of a choir that performs without instrumental accompaniment (“a cappella”) year-round.
As the choir prepares for a 34th season of bringing Yuletide joy to music lovers in eastern Ontario and western Quebec, it is proud to announce two major achievements.
This past spring, the Stairwell Carollers received both provincial and national recognition for artistic excellence, placing first in the Ontario Music Festivals Association choral competition and second in the national finals.
The Carollers are also proud of their humanitarian and philanthropic mission. Since 1997, they have raised $41,350 for dozens of charities through ticket sales and profits from their six CDs.
At the season finale, on December 18, the choir will be making a donation to the Harvest House Ministries. The Carollers also sponsor an annual scholarship for students planning to pursue a music degree at a Canadian university.
The choir was founded and is directed by award-winning composer Pierre Massie, who is Head of Fine Arts at Glebe Collegiate High School. This season’s concerts feature three of Pierre’s original compositions and seven of his arrangements, including the beautiful “Iesous Ahatonnia” (the Huron Carol), which is the title of this year’s program.
2010 Christmas Concert Season
Fri, Dec 3: Zion-Memorial United Church, 37 Franklin St., Carleton Place
Sat, Dec 4: Woodroffe United Church, 207 Woodroffe Ave., Ottawa
Wed, Dec 8: St. Columba Anglican Church, 24 Sandridge Rd., Ottawa (Manor Park)
Fri, Dec 10: St. Paul’s Eastern United Church, 473 Cumberland St., Ottawa (Sandy Hill)
All concerts begin at 7:30 pm. Tickets for the Dec. 18 season finale are available in advance from The Leading Note (370 Elgin St), as well as at the door, for $15 (admission is free for children 12 and under). A reception will follow.
A registered Canadian charity, our group helps local charities with net proceeds from concert, CD and cookbook sales.
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