The Stairwell Carollers remember Gord Atkinson - a Bright Ottawa Light Winks Out

 We were so very sad to learn of the passing of Gord Atkinson - long time mentor and friend to The Stairwell Carollers - Monday, April 26, 2021. He will be sorely missed. 

So many memories...

Our connection to Gord began in 1984 when his wife Elaine heard us carolling at Bayshore Shopping Centre. Right there, he invited us to sing LIVE on CFMO for their Christmas Exchange Telethon. Before the broadcast, he asked "what should I call you folks - what's the group's name?" 

We didn’t HAVE a name. 

After an awkward moment Dawn (soprano) piped up -- "The Stairwell Carollers".  I was dumbstruck. It was perfect. Our new name was forever cast in radio history as Gord introduced us for the first time ever over the airwaves.  

(I wish I had a photo - the pic below is from a later Christmas exchange broadcast from the Ottawa Citizen building)

Gord claimed us as his "Discovery", welcoming us into his musical cadre alongside Paul Anka, Elvis and Rich Little. We sang for The Christmas Exchange Broadcast on CFMO and CFRA for many years and were even treated to a wee float with our name on it in the 1987 Santa Claus parade . 

Pierre and I kept in touch with both Gord and Elaine, always looking forward to their Christmas card newsletter, always with a special note added just for us.

In 1986, Gord and CFMO produced our first recording, a vinyl album which raised over $53,000 for Ronald MacDonald House.

Gord and Elaine attended many of our concerts and, though he always said he was just a fan, we knew better. Gord Atkinson provided the choir countless opportunities that led to the professional development of The Stairwell Carollers.

He had the most generous heart. I miss him from the bottom of mine.

We send our sincere condolences to his wife Elaine and their family at this difficult time.

Gord Atkinsons Obituary : https://ottawacitizen.remembering.ca/obituary/gordon-atkinson-1082194642

 

CTV news https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/legendary-ottawa-radio-broadcaster-gord-atkinson-dies-at-94-1.5402971

Global news https://globalnews.ca/news/7813330/ottawa-radio-gord-atkinson-obituary/

Ottawa Citizen https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/egan-from-bing-to-the-king-radio-man-gord-atkinson-had-legendary-career

PREMIERE - The Stairwell Carollers FIRST Virtual Choir Vid for Spring 2021 - Come Sirrah Jack, Ho!

Upcoming PREMIERE of The Stairwell Carollers FIRST Virtual Choir Video for Spring 2021. This Sunday, April 25th at 10:00 AM on our YouTube Channel. (Hello to all our friends in Europe!) 

#virtualchoir #renaissance #choralmusic #Madrigal #ancientmusic #renaissancemusic #drinkingsongs #spring2021 #ottawa #musicians #singers

Come, sirrah Jack, ho! ☺ If you like our music, please donate to your local foodbank.❤️

The Stairwell Carollers, perform “ Come sirrah Jack, ho” by Thomas Weelkes. Come sirrah Jack, ho is on our “Audite nova” CD, available in both CD and MP3 formats. All our recordings benefit charities. http://www.stairwellcarollers.com Recorded from home, Spring 2021. Edited using Final Cut Pro X: Pierre Massie

About The Stairwell Carollers:
Pierre Massie created our a cappella choir in 1977 while a music student at Ottawa University. With wins in both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions, we are ranked among the best of Ontario choirs. 

A registered Canadian charity, The Carollers also help local charities with net proceeds from concert tickets, CD and cookbook sales.  Since 1997 we have donated over $143,800 to local charities and scholarships.

Stairwell Carollers 1st Virtual Choir Video! Take that Covid-19!

Ottawa choir, The Stairwell Carollers, perform Laudemus cum armonia, an original composition by their director,  Pierre Massie. It's the first of what we expect to be a series of virtual choir video creations.

The chorale asks at this difficult time, if you can, to please make a donation to The Ottawa Food Bank. Thanks so much!

You can order this original sacred choral piece by Pierre Massie.
It is also on our Laudemus cum armonia Christmas carol CD 



Our CDs benefit charity, and are available in both CD and MP3 formats.

Video and Audio: individual choristers, Stairwell Carollers - both past and present members.

Video and Audio Editing: Pierre Massie

Audite Nova - Renaissance madrigals - CD or MP3

View this post on Instagram

#stairwellcarollers #ottawachoir #renaissancemusic #madrigal #cd and #digital #mp3 #download Net proceeds support #Ottawa #charity #fundraising #localmusic #choir #acappella #purchase at our homepage website link. 🎼❤️😲

A post shared by The Stairwell Carollers (@stairwell_carollers) on Feb 5, 2020 at 9:11am PST

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie created our a cappella choir in 1977 while he was a music student at Ottawa University. With wins in both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions, we are ranked among the best of Ontario choirs. 
A registered Canadian charity, The Carollers also help local charities with net proceeds from concert tickets, CD and cookbook sales.  Since 1997 we have donated over $143,800 to local charities and scholarships.

40 Years of Stairwell Carolling Revealed!

Our Founder and Director, Pierre Massie, started our group in 1977 - where we sang Christmas carols in the stairwells of residences at the University of Ottawa during exam time.  The eight of us would start at the top of the residence stairwell and work our way to the bottom. Students came out from their rooms to listen to the carols and would follow us as we went down from floor to floor, our voices helped out by the echo of the stairwell.  We sang throughout our hometown of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - in malls, for parking lot attendants, and even on buses. We had a great time carolling in the Byward Market and on Sparks street too - lots of amazing memories.

In the early 80's, we were carolling at Bayshore shopping center and Gord Atkinson - then the voice of CFMO radio - heard us. Right then he asked us to sing live on CFMO for their Christmas Exchange Telethon.  It was during this first appearance on radio with Gord that our group got its name. Right before the broadcast, he asked us "what should I call you folks - what's the group's name?" Up till then, we were only ten Christmas Carollers with no name.  Dawn, soprano, piped up with "The Stairwell Carollers" and the name stuck.  Personally, I love our moniker since it harks back to the choir's beginnings - singing in the residence stairwells for fellow U. of Ottawa students.  

In 1986, Gord - with CFMO - produced our first real recording, a fundraising vinyl album in aid of Ronald McDonald House. an initiative which raised over $53,000.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie created our a cappella choir in 1977 while he was a music student at Ottawa University. With wins in both the 2010 and 2013 Ontario Music Festival Association competitions, we are ranked among the best of Ontario choirs. 

A registered Canadian charity, The Carollers also help local charities with net proceeds from concert tickets, CD and cookbook sales.  Since 1997 we have donated over $143,800 to local charities and scholarships.

Pierre Massie receives GG Award - Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers

We are proud to announce that our Director, Pierre Massie has been awarded the coveted Governor General's Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers.

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!

Pierre will be wearing his medal at our upcoming Stairwell Caroller Christmas concerts, so please take a moment to congratulate him after the show.

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.

Only 2 

Stairwell Caroller 2018 concerts left

Tickets HERE 

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 Ten 2017 Stairwell Thankful Moments - 40th Anniversary

Number 1 - Wonderful friendships; here, Dr. Andrea McCrady, our Dominion Carillonneur poses with director Pierre and a fresh new Program Booklet designed by Terry Brynaert for our 40th Xmas concerts!

Number 2 - A beautiful CD cover design (also by Terry) for our Brand new 40th LIVE Christmas carol CD. Available HERE.

Number 3 - Doing what we do best -- fundraising for worthy causes. This money for Shepherds of good Hope was raised through a clever "Sponsor a Song" idea by David Rain (tenor).

Number 4 - Catching up with so many old friends and Stairwellers like Michel Benac and Joel Haslam. So many Stairwellers came by I can't list more names here for fear of leaving people out!

Pierre and Joel

Frances, Marie and Pierre

Number 5 - Fundraiser for OCISO - bonus - brilliant photos of us by Irena Zamchevska. 

Hosted by Adrian Harewood - exciting!

Number 6 - So thankful for our Stairwell Front of House Team - led by Michèle Auger.

Number 7 - Always a joy to rehearse with fellow Stairwellers - what a wonderful group of people - and so talented!

Number 8 - Hardworking singers that go the extra mile to make all the concerts about more than just the music. David just took over PR Head so I could focus on our social media, blog and Youtube. Josée heads the crew for reception food. Manon "puts out fires of all kinds" and liaises with our venue contacts. Maggie is one of our Latin experts, catalogues our practise tapes and monitors the website for errors. Susan handles advertising and has been Treasurer for years, and Andrea is our secretary.

And of course all of you I failed to mention here -- what a fantastic, committed group! A blog post outlining all of you and your specific tasks is in the works.

Number 9 - Our fans - we couldn't do it without you! Please continue helping us with your concert attendance, CD purchases and youtube subscriptions and views. And don't forget to audition!!

Number 10 - Our Taskmaster /Master maestro / Composer/ Director, Pierre Massie, keeps on truckin'- despite a crazy health scare that he fought through the whole season! We all love you, Pete!

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! 

Fa una canzone - Italian Madrigal - Youtube live concert video

Woo Hoo - it's March 1st!!

Ottawa choir, The Stairwell Carollers, sing Fa una canzone by Orazio Vecchi - an Italian composer of the late Renaissance.

A madrigal all about singing - which Pete and I have been doing since we met -- check out our wedding pic above!

You can own it too - Fa una canzone is on our Renaissance Madrigal CD “Audite nova” 

Fa una canzone English translation  (thanks to CPDL)

"Write a song with no black notes
If you ever wanted my favour
Write it so that it will bring me to sleep
Make it end sweetly, sweetly.

Don't put any harshness into it
Because my ears are not used to that
Write it so that ...

Don't write numbers, or counterpoint
This is my main design
Write it so that ...

Using this style lucky Orpheus
Managed to pacify Proserpina, down under
Write it so that ...

This is the style which sweetly appeased
Saul's fierce spirit!
Write it so that ..."   CPDL

Our professional recordings are well-reviewed and available on our website in both CD and MP3 formats. Net proceeds benefit charity.

Subscribe to our Youtube channel to watch our more than 270 videos. New vids coming soon!

Audio: Tom Barnes.  Recorded at St. Barnabas Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, June 4th, 2016.

Videographers: Luc Nugent and Kolin Casagrande.

Editing: Pierre Massie.
Photos: Holly Massie.

About The Stairwell Carollers:

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

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

 DONATE to support our 40th Anniversary workshops! 

SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel Now - Un jour vis un foulon - Madrigal

Here's a fun madrigal to make you smile. Un jour vis un foulon is a late Renaissance Madrigal by Orlando di Lasso a Netherlandish or Franco-Flemish composer.

Un jour vis un foulon is on our “Audite nova” CD.
Audio: Tom Barnes.  Recorded at St. Barnabas Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, June 4th, 2016.
Videographers: Luc Nugent. Kolin Casagrande
Editing: Pierre Massie

About The Stairwell Carollers:

Pierre Massie began our a cappella choir way back in 1977 while studying music 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 also help local charities with our concert, CD and cookbook sales. Net proceeds benefit charity.

Please DONATE to support our 40th year workshops! 

COUNTDOWN: #4 Top 10 reasons to audition for The Stairwell Carollers - You'll sing in a beautiful, humanitarian key!

Top 10 reasons to audition for my Ottawa Choir, The Stairwell Carollers:

The Stairwell Carollers have donated more than $137,000 to local charities like the Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization, the Shepherds of Good Hope, music scholarship winners, and many others.

And for a special bonus, check out this wild Renaissance tongue-twister, La Tricotea - where the altos get to sing the melody!

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, email 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.

Happy New Year! Resolve to support Canadian Choral Excellence!

UPDATE 

40th fundraising total at $9,392 - but we need YOU to Turn up the Temp!

Watch the thermometer track our fundraising progress.

BONUS... you receive a charitable tax receipt and special perks for your donation!

We need $15,000 to do everything planned to celebrate our 40th year of song in the Ottawa/Outaouais region, so please help us reach our goal!

Another easy and fun way to help us raise funds is to listen to our music on our YouTube channel.

When you listen to our 40th Fundraiser Playlists , YouTube pays us forward!

All the videos in the 40th fundraiser playlists are monetized, so the choir gets reimbursed from YouTube when you watch and listen!

 Here's our 40th Fundraiser Madrigal Playlist:

If you love our music, please consider supporting us, by watching our YouTube Fundraiser Playlists and by making a donation.

Please DONATE to support our 40th year events for everyone! 
All Donations receive a charitable receipt.