15 Choir Fails

Me, trying to sing

Way back .. at Uof O, I met this guy who persuaded me to sing Christmas carols... in public... whaaaa?

This post is all about me. A listicle of choir fails -- enjoy!

15. Forget your pencil -- and then bug the people around you for one.

14. Or... Always use a pen...

My musical notation

13. Take selfies -- while everyone ELSE is rehearsing.

Choir selfie

12. Wear distracting socks -- and forget what song you are on.

Winter socks

11. Write blog posts you think are funny instead of practicing that difficult Spanish thing, uh, piece.

Don't ask

10. Flirt with the cute Tenor beside you and miss your entry... and your note... and what carol you're singing...

Ryan thinks I'm creepy

9. Watch attentively while everyone else sets up the risers.

Brian, Pete and Morgan do the heavy lifting

8. Bug choir members for new photos for the blog.

Not Josee's best side

7. A random cat.

Kitten won't stay still for a pic

6. Yummy thanksgiving turkey...

Wait, this is a choir list.

Ok... being distracted.... Is a definite choir fail!

Turkey

5. Eating the whole wonderful Mexican meal (at Feleena's) including a dark Mexican beer.

Can't... Breathe...

Ricotta and Spinach quesadilla with cilantro cream sauce at Feleena's

4. Having laryngitis after singing outside in the Byward Market. What a glorious afternoon!

Caroling in the Byward Market

3. Totally forgetting which church, which concert... etc.... and depending on Pete to get me there...

Stairwell Carollers sign

2. Watching patiently ( and photographically recording) everyone else folding programs.

Anne, Diane and Helen fold programs

1. Not being the clever one who made these cup cakes to match the choir binders for a spring concert reception. In fact, having never made ANY food for a concert reception.

Helen, alto has a creative sister! These are her cupcakes

"O Magnum Mysterium" CD dedicated to the memory of Sir David Willcocks

O Magnum Mysterium CD back with song list

As mentioned in a previous post, we decided, on Sir David's passing, to dedicate our new Christmas CD in his memory. We will be announcing this at all our concerts. Unfortunately, the CD was already printed when Sir David Willcocks passed away, so we could not get the dedication printed on it.

O Magnum Mysterium CD booklet

Three of the songs on the CD are Sir David Willcocks arrangements -- as you can see in this shot of the booklet.

You can purchase copies directly from us here.

You can hear tracks samples here http://www.stairwellcarollers.com/MP3s8.html

All proceeds from our music help local charity.

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Stairwell Carollers new Christmas Carol CD now available!

O Magnum Mysterium, our NEW CD is in!

"O Magnum Mysterium", our NEW Christmas Carol CD for 2015 is in!

It's beautiful -- gorgeous looking -- with a cover photo by Denyse Mageau / photo manipulation by our director, Pierre Massie -- and gorgeous sounding too. Pierre says it is our best work yet.

You can purchase copies directly from us HERE.


You can hear tracks samples here http://www.stairwellcarollers.com/MP3s8.html

All proceeds from our music help local charity.

 

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"A ce joli mois" - Clément Janequin -- The Stairwell Carollers, Ottawa

Yellow Coneflower

Ottawa choir, The Stairwell Carollers, perform "A ce joli mois" by Clément Janequin (c. 1485 – 1558), a French composer of the Renaissance. He was one of the most famous composers of popular chansons of the entire Renaissance.

Buy our CDs and help local charities. "A ce joli mois" is recorded on our "Audite Nova" CD.

The Stairwell Carollers, an a cappella group, formed in 1977 by director Pierre Massie, has earned the distinction of being ranked amongst the best of Ontario choirs in both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competition.

A non-profit organization, we raise funds for local charities through concert, CD and cookbook sales.

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

Buy our CDs and help Ottawa/Gatineau charities reach their goals.

Visit our blog or our website for updates.

Audio: Tom Barnes. Recorded at St. Barnabas Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, May 31st, 2014.

Videographers: Gert-Jan van Heuzen, Kevin Millington.

 

 

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Mentorship from across the sea - In Memory of a choral master, Sir David Willcocks

Sir David Willcocks arrangement for The Stairwell Carollers

The news that Sir David Willcocks has passed on is such a loss to the choral world. We, as a choir, are saddened by the fact that we had never meet him in person, but will always treasure the exclusive arrangement of "We Wish you a Merry Christmas" that he wrote for The Stairwell Carollers. It is included on our "I saw a swete semly syght" Christmas CD.

We are dedicating our new Christmas CD, "O magnum mysterium" and this year's Christmas singing season to the memory of Sir David Willcocks -- teacher, choral director and arranger and inspiration to the music world.

Our director, Pierre, has always strived for Great Britain's "boy's choir" sound. Our most important influencers were always Sir David Willcocks and John Rutter. He has a special fondness for their music. Over the years, both master choral directors learned of our choir and our recorded works and sent Pierre congratulations and postcards.

We subsequently recorded many of their pieces.

Postcard to Pete from John R.

Here is a playlist of choral arrangements by Sir David that we have sung in concert and uploaded to YouTube. I hope it gives a taste of the creativity and beauty inherent in his choral arrangements.

"Ach, weh des leiden" by Hans Leo Hassler sung by The Stairwell Carollers -- YouTube

Morgan, tenor, adjusts the lights

Ottawa choir, The Stairwell Carollers, perform "Ach, weh des leiden" by Hans Leo Hassler (1564 – 1612), a German composer and organist of the late Renaissance and early Baroque eras.

This version of "Ach, weh des leiden" is available on our madrigal CD, “Audite nova”.

The Stairwell Carollers, an a cappella group, formed in 1977 by director Pierre Massie, has earned the distinction of being ranked amongst the best of Ontario choirs in both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competition.

A non-profit organization, we raise funds for local charities through concert, CD and cookbook sales.

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

Buy our CDs and help Ottawa/Gatineau charities reach their goals.

Visit our blog or our website for updates.

Audio: Tom Barnes. Recorded at St. Barnabas Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, May 31st, 2014.
Videographers: Gert-Jan van Heuzen, Kevin Millington.

 

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