BEHIND THE SONG - Singing Carols in August

Rae sings at The National Gallery for her first Stairwell Carollers Concert

This is my first Christmas season as a Stairwell Caroller.

The Stairwell Carollers, Knox Presbyterian, Ottawa, 2014

It's also the first time I've ever played Christmas music in August on purpose.

One of the ways I fit music practice into my overly busy schedule is to listen to the practice files at work. There's nothing quite like writing a briefing note or doing economic research with "The First Nowell" on repeat in my earphones!

Or, I flip through my sheet music with my toddler on my lap on weekend mornings, coffee steaming beside me - as I explain what a page and monarch are and where exactly forth they went together.

Then, my older son wants to decode the notes on the piano, and wonders why the left hand's notes have to have a different clef than the right hand's, and why is it called a clef, anyway?



At which point, he asks impatiently to play a video game instead.

The cat complains meowingly as I hit the high notes, the dog barks along, and my home is once again a madhouse.

Manger Scene

Christmas carols tell many stories. I distinctly remember learning Away In A Manger when I was about five, and caring for that little baby who didn't cry, surrounded by lowing cattle and hay. Or, falling in love with In Dulci Jubilo when I was fifteen. Or, memorizing the bass and treble clefs with my fingers on the piano keys at some age in between.

Sheet music for Wassail

Music has been a cornerstone of my life for as long as I can remember, and I'm proud to say that I've made it a cornerstone of my children's lives too. They will never remember learning the lyrics to Christmas carols, because they will always have known them, thanks to listening to me practice them for a third of the year.

"Hark, hear the bells."

Rae P. - Soprano

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AGM -- excellent attendance and... Doughnuts!

Drew brought Doughnuts!

The first rehearsal of the Stairwell Carollers Fall 2015 singing season was a doughnut feasting success!

Our AGM (annual general meeting) started with choir Commitee President, Diane Fraser, with her trademark short and sweet welcome to everyone and an acceptance of the minutes of the last meeting.

Organized but relaxed sets the tone

And Drew (tenor) surprised us with Artisinal Doughnuts from Suzy Q in Hintonberg! Yum.

Our director, Pierre, continued with good news about our online presence. Our website, which Pierre created and manages, is well maintained by Team Maggie (soprano), with help from Drew (tenor) and Kelly (alto) on the lyrics pages.

Our YouTube numbers are up. Considering that we don't sing naked, have a hamster on a piano or a baby monkey riding on a pig, we do pretty well.

@StairwellChoir on Twitter is very successful in getting the news out about concerts and our new vids and blog posts. It can be a big time eater too if you let it. All the choral news that's fit to tweet -- too tempting

Our Facebook page is hub for blog posts, news, comments and tweets -- please like us!

And, we are super pumped for our upcoming CD, O magnum mysterium coming out this October. Hit the link for a sneak peek! For all our CDs ( also available as MP3s ) click here.

After the AGM, we spent the next hour and a half singing through seven Christmas songs. Whew!

Patty and Drew solve all the worlds problems

All done, we trotted off to The Clocktower Brew Pub. As with choir rehearsal, attendance was healthy. Brown Beers and munchies all round.

Selfie -- the only way I get into a photo

We aren't called the "Eatwell Carollers" for nothing.

The boys decide what to eat

Zach's back! Bass 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just For Fun -- O You Terror -- to the tune of O Fortuna

Peekaboo Giraffe - wait for it

A hilarious version of O Fortuna I spotted on Facebook -- for all you "sleep-deprived parents".
Thanks to the Sydney Symphony and Sydney Choirs Orchestra - a rendition of 'O Fortuna', with new lyrics by Matthew Hodge. O You Terror.