Welcome to Mike's musical life

I'm pleased you found me. I've been singing, playing guitar and writing songs for over 25 years. This website is where I'll be sharing the results of those efforts. Cruise around and see if you find something to your liking.

Mike

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2019 Update 

2019 has been a very busy year both on the Data Guy front and the Choral front. Being a member of the Ottawa Choral Society has been a great experience and has challenged me musically in many ways.

Being a contributing choir to the National Arts Center here in Ottawa allowed me to be a part of two performances with the NAC Orchestra under the direction of Alexander Shelley; Beethoven's Ninth Symphony (ends with the Ode to Joy) and the Britten War Requiem.

We followed that up with a Christmas concert with the King's Singers, Bach's St John Passion, and just this past weekend Orff's Carmina Burana.

On June 8, we will be performing our 'Baltic Romance concert in Ottawa as preparation for a tour taking us to Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallin, and Riga.

Ottawa Choral Society - Baltic Romance

I won't be making it to SummerSongs this summer, but will be taking most of the Summer off to re-charge in other ways.

I am being asked to participate in a private recording session later this month and intend to spend some time finishing off songs and ideas that have been percolating off and on over the past year.

As always, stay tuned for updates even when they might become infrequent.

Mike

Summersongs 2018 update 

I have just recently returned from Summersongs with 3 songs well under way and lots of other ideas and collaboration opportunities. A very successful and satisfying week. This was the 20th camp and I was one of the few attendees who was also there at the very first one in 1999.

For more information on this awesome experience check out the Summersongs site.

Also part of this years activities was a very moving tribute to Penny Nichols, the founder of Summersongs who succumbed to cancer late last year.

Penny was a great inspiration and mentor to me personally while I attended Summersongs in the first few years they started up. It was largely at her prompting that I began to explore choral singing by first joining the Oakville Choral Society shortly after attending that first camp. That has led to a now 20 year journey with a number of varied and treasured involvements in choirs and choral arrangements.

This has followed me to Ottawa where I am a current member of the Canadian Centennial Choir and a new member of the Ottawa Choral Society.

Over the next few months I plan to update this website. Check back and see what's up and coming.

Mike

2017 

A lot has happened since I last posted here. I started a new consulting company a little over a year ago and considerable attention has gone to the "Data Guy" side of life. While music did not take a complete back seat, my engagement with "Mike Beauchamp Music" has a bit.

I continue to be involved with the Canadian Centennial Choir in Ottawa who have recently concluded a very successful 2016/2017 season with a 50th anniversary concert and celebration that fit in quite nicely with the Canada 150 celebrations occurring in our nations capitol. I also remain involved with the choir at First United Church in Westboro and occasionally return to MapleGrove United Church when Dan Hynek asks nicely. :) MapleGrove celebrated their 60th anniversary as a congregation with a gospel band and choral service that I had the pleasure to be able to attend and lose my voice at. Their are a few YouTube and Facebook posts out there of some of that.

Facebook post from Dan Hynek

I have also made the decision to attend SummerSongs East this summer. It has been over 15 years since I last attended and I am looking forward to re-connecting with them and re-charging my batteries.

Summer Songs songwriting camps

I see this summer and fall as a time to reflect and renew my personal musical energy. The result should be noticed more here and my intention is keep you posted.

Mike

Ottawa Update 

Apologies for not posting for a while. It has been a busy time. The move to Ottawa was completed in the summer and with boating season now over, musical items are coming back on track. I have recently joined up with the Canadian Centennial Choir and am looking forward to my first performance with them in December. More news coming on that front. We also appear to be settling on First United Church in Westboro as a congregation to explore further. 

Both Ruth and I returned to Maplegrove United Church in Oakville this past weekend where I enjoyed re-uniting with the Worship Band there. It was there that I chose to debut a new collaboration with Andy King. Look for an upcoming post on that new composition.

Mike
 

Eternal Spirit performed by Spirito! Singers. 

On May 16, I was delighted to be present at the choral premiere of my song Eternal Spirit as arranged and performed by Spirito! Singers of Elmhurst Illinois. The concert was broadcast for local airplay and is now available on Youtube. The entire concert is really good. You will find Eternal Spirit at or near 10:20.

It was a very moving and uplifting experience for Ruth and I and I am very thankful for the support of our friends George and Andrea Hutchinson.

For more about Spirito! please visit their website at Spirto! Singers 

I have also made my version of Eternal Spirit available as a free download on the Music page of this site

Mike

Ottawa update 

Hi everyone.

I've started hanging out with the Ottawa Folk Music Society at their Spirit of Rasputin's open stage on Monday nights. This led me to enter my song Turtle Island in their posted Song Writing competition for their upcoming Gil's Hootenanny event.

I have been selected as a finalist and now get to perform it at the upcoming Ottawa Grassroots Festival.

Pretty cool really. Here's the Press Release...

Finalists to Perform Songs of Protest and Hope on Sunday afternoon, April 26
 
Four songwriters have been selected as finalists in the 2015 Gil's Hootenanny Songwriting Contest.  Dan Anderson, Tony Turner, Patricia Reynolds and Mike Beauchamp will perform their songs at the Ottawa Grassroots Festival at the Montgomery Legion on Sunday, April 26 at 4:00 pm.  By encouraging attendees to sing along with their songs, the songwriters are hoping to earn a performance spot in the 6th annual edition of Gil's Hootenanny being held the following Friday, May 1.
 
The Ottawa Grassroots Festival takes place from April 23 to 26 at the Montgomery Legion.  Admission to all daytime events is free.  The following songs will be performed at the festival on Sunday afternoon, April 26 at 4:00 pm:
 
• Dan Anderson - "Where'd They Get the Guns?"
• Tony Turner - "Harperman" - www.tonyturner.ca
• Patricia Reynolds - "Who's the Enemy?" - www.elizabethrileyband.com
• Mike Beauchamp - "Turtle Island" - www.mikebeauchampmusic.com
 
What:  Gil's Hootenanny Songwriting Contest – Final Round
Who:  Dan Anderson, Tony Turner, Patricia Reynolds and Mike Beauchamp
When:  Sunday, April 26 at 4:00 pm
Where:  Ottawa Grassroots Festival, Montgomery Legion, 330 Kent at Somerset, lower level
Admission:  Free
 
One song selected by judges at the April 26 performance will be featured at Gil's Hootenanny, an annual event where musicians take turns leading attendees in singing along on songs of protest and hope.  This year's edition of Gil's Hootenanny, to be held on Friday, May 1 at the First Unitarian Congregation, will feature Magoo, The Elizabeth Riley Band, Mark Evenchick, Gil's Hootenanny Band... and the winner of Gil's Hootenanny Songwriting Contest!
 
Ottawa Grassroots Festival (April 23-26, Montgomery Legion):  www.ottawagrassrootsfestival.com
 
Gil's Hootenanny (May 1, First Unitarian Congregation):  www.gilshootenanny.ca
 
Media contact:  Chris White – Producer, Gil's Hootenanny,  613-327-9621chris@folkzone.ca

Welcome Mat is now released!! 

I didn't think it would take a full year, but Welcome Mat has now been officially released (Yay!!)

You can now purchase it and my previous project Restoule online at Indie Pool. Either visit the Store page on this website or click on a "Buy Now" icon.

Digital distribution to iTunes is underway, but will take a bit longer.

You can also email me directly if you wish to make other arrangements.

Mike

New website created 

Hi folks.
This post is in advance of my official launch which is coming soon. Eventually you will be able to enjoy my music from here in a number of ways.

A few big news items...

1. I am just finishing up a new recording project titled "Welcome Mat". This is a personal reflection in song that according to my wife Ruth, might pull on a few heartstrings.  So be it. After 15 years from my first project "Restoule" I ask forgiveness on being more reflective this time around. Hopefully you will enjoy the mix of songs from my life experiences and contributions to worship ministry at various congregations over the years.

2. I've decided to partner with indiepool.com for fulfillment of orders for both Welcome Mat and Restoule and digital distribution of  tracks from both of these projects. This should be integrated with this website very soon.

3. I'm relocating from Oakville to Ottawa in 2015. Lots of changes coming up in the Beauchamp household.

Mike

Previous events

Apr26

I have been selected as a finalist in the Gil's Hootenanny Sing-Along Songwriting contest and will be performing Turtle Island on Sunday afternoon at this festival.

The Ottawa Grassroots Festival is a non-profit, community-based, volunteer-run organization dedicated to cultivating community at the local level through a vibrant annual festival of concerts and participatory workshops.

no charge on Sunday

Nov30

Worship band at Sunday Service

Maple Grove United Church, Oakville, ON

For the first Sunday of Advent, the Maple Grove Worship Band is introducing a new original song that is a collaboration between Andrew King and Rob Anderson called "New Life There". You can find the lyrics as Andy's blog post for Nov 23.