The Stairwell Carollers ring in the season of Christmas music

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When he was a music student at the University of Ottawa, Pierre Massie formed a small choir to perform Christmas carols, believing the familiar songs would help students relax during exam time.

The ensemble performed in the stairwells of the residence buildings, starting at the top and working their way down, leaving the door open on each floor so that students could hear the music.Sign up to receive daily headline news from Ottawa Citizen, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails.

Over the years, the ensemble expanded in size and scope, becoming a registered charity and growing to include two dozen or more singers, with a handful of concerts in December and a spring event. They became comfortable with more challenging arrangements, including secular and sacred music, and found themselves winning prizes at local and regional music competitions.

Despite the lull in philanthropic efforts, the choir remains focused on the traditional music of the season. For Massie, who grew up in a francophone family in Timmins that attended midnight mass, that doesn’t mean singing about Santa, Frosty or Rudolph. “I avoid the reindeers and Santa Claus stuff, not because I don’t like it but just because I find you hear it so much and it doesn’t come across the same way to me,” he said. “For me, Christmas music is about what happens in church. Those songs are where we get the really strong family feelings and the joy and spirit of Christmas. They really mean something.”Article content

 

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The Stairwell Carollers ring in the season of Christmas musicWhen he was a music student at the University of Ottawa, Pierre Massie formed a small choir to perform Christmas carols, believing the familiar songs would help students relax during exam time.
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