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.
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.
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!
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Really great post, Holly! I've loved every minute of my years of singing with you all! ❤
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