Libera in Texas for concerts

Libera Cattle drive and fantastic Texan hospitality. Plenty of bottled water - it's really quite warm here.
9 hours ago

Libera - The Nutcracker

Libera - The Nutcracker Interview

Happy Birthday Freddie!!

Happy Birthday Freddie 10 years

St Louis Cathedral Concerts

Posting on AngelVoices site has the following:



Dear All, This is just in to me from the office of music at the St Louis Cathedral Concerts: Mr. Wilkerson:
This is the repertoire for Libera as we know it:


Libera
Time
Sanctus
Sanctissima
Ave verum
Far away
Salva me
Agnus Dei
Exulatate

(Intermission)

Mysterium
Gloria
The Fountain
How can I keep from singing?
When a knight won his spurs
Love and mercy
Deep peace
Stay with me
Going home
How shall I sing that majesty?


[Program is subject to change]

This is all the information we've received, in the exact form as we received it. I understand that these selections are the director's arrangements and/or compositions. Hope this helps your fans!

I am really looking forward to another Libera Concert! Now 9 Days Away!

The Lord's Blessings,
Fred

This is not your mother's boychoir

BY SARAH BRYAN MILLER Post-Dispatch Classical Music Critic
"," John Romeri says.

Romeri, founder and artistic director of Cathedral Concerts and music director of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis, doesn't usually schedule concerts in the summer. He's making an exception for Libera.

Libera — the word means "free" in Latin — is an independent, not-for-profit South London-based boychoir. Since 2000, it's won gold records and other awards from Britain to Australia with a distinctive kind of crossover sound.

"They have people who really believe in them," Romeri says, noting that their worldwide following got their Facebook page more than 17,000 friends in just a few months. So far, Cathedral Concerts has sold tickets to people from 12 states — and France.

They perform in monkish, hooded, white robes, but with elaborate lighting designs, often accompanied by synthesizers. Famous for their pure high trebles, Libera's music-making is part spiritual, part showbiz.

Of the 40 boys age 7 to 16 who sing with the group, 24 will perform in the concert of sacred music at the Cathedral Basilica.

Like a traditional British boychoir, the singers chosen for Libera rehearse frequently, at least four times each week. Given the ephemeral nature of the boy soprano voice, the recruitment process is ongoing, with the music staff visiting assorted schools in South London to find likely candidates.

In an e-mail interview, their music director, Robert Prizeman, wrote, "The boys start with us usually around the age of 7 or 8, and mostly will not have sung much before. We…try to find youngsters who have some aptitude — though, of course, at that age, they will not have much experience. I have to assess their musical intelligence, as it were."

He doesn't care for the term "crossover."

"In record industry terms we are called crossover because we are not strictly classical, and we are certainly not pop-rock," Prizeman writes. "But it can seem a little derisive. I hope we manage to do something original with integrity."

The boys are a good-looking, engaging crew, as multiracial as London itself. Prizeman says their appearance is not a factor in their selection:

"It's hard enough to find talented singers without worrying about what they look like," Prizeman wrote. "However, when they perform, we do hope that they will show the enjoyment they have in the singing, and that their appearance will be engaging and, hopefully, charismatic."

This is their second U.S. tour. On their first, in April 2008, they sang at Pope Benedict XVI's Yankee Stadium mass, performed at the Crystal Cathedral in Los Angeles and sang at the Kennedy Center Honors.

This trip's a little more modest in its scope. Cathedral Concerts is one of five presenters in a short, mostly Midwestern tour that includes stops in in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas; Nashville, Tenn.; and Atlanta.

The choir will sing with the cathedral organ in St. Louis, along with the Rosewood Ensemble, a St. Louis-based professional string ensemble, and their own synthesizer and other instrumental accompaniment.

"It's a pretty amazing sound, a very pure sound, very beautiful," Romeri says. "Libera is the Virgil Fox of boychoirs, when you throw in the synthesizer and the lights," adding showmanship and flair to well-done music.

"Libera has turned on thousands of people who would never touch a King's College Cambridge (traditional Anglican choir)."

Although the group doesn't yet have the kind of following in the United States that it has elsewhere in the world, Romeri thinks that to see and hear them is to be converted.

"The music is classical, and the sounds are pure and in tune and gorgeous," he says. "I think it's going to be kind of a cosmic experience."

You can learn more about Libera, hear them and see videos at www.libera.org.uk.

(From http://www.stltoday.com/)      

Closing down some of my blogs

On Saturday July 31st I will be shutting down the following blogs as I have run out of pictures and video so I have no more items to post on those blogs. The blogs going away are Ben Philipp, James Mordaunt, Kavana Crossley, Liam Connery and Sam Leggett. The choir page and Tom and Josh and this blog will remain in tack. I just do not have the time to run all my other blogs I have ten total some not related to Libera. Thank you for your understanding.

Happy Birthday Alex

July 23rd a big 14 year old!!!

Libera's website announcement

Dear supporters,



We want bring our music to people at affordable prices, but this means that we do not cover all our costs through ticket sales and free will offerings. As a touring choir we have some quite considerable expenses to cover – for instance our visas to visit the USA for our upcoming tour cost nearly $13,000 alone.
We do not have a large company or commercial backer in the background paying the bills, which means we have to raise our own funding. So if you feel able to help us cover our costs by making a donation, please visit just giving.


If you wish to make a more specific offer of financial support, please feel free to contact us at Libera Office .


Kind regards


Libera

This fantastic poster came from a Libera Dreams French member "fan_de_LoK"

Japan 2006

Girls, the Future, and Olympic Hurdling

Here is another link that does work. Sorry my listing was a year ago.

Girls, the Future, and Olympic Hurdling

Update on USA Tour

Due to circumstances beyond our control we have had to reschedule the first 2 concerts on our USA tour. Our concert in Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, Dallas will now take place on Sunday 1st August, and Arborlawn Methodist Church, Fort Worth will take place on Monday 2nd August. We hope these changes do not cause too much inconvenience to our supporters.

(posted from Libera's Facebook)

July Polling Results

Which of these boys do you believe will be the lead singers in the future?



1. Stefan Leadbeatter
2. Ralph Skan
3. Flynn Marks (tie)
    James Mordaunt (tie)
    Kavana Crossley (tie)
4. Alfie Smart (tie)
    Carlos Rodriguez (tie)
5. Freddie Ingles (tie)
   Cassius O’ Connel (tie)
   Henry Barrington (tie)
   Luke Collins (tie)
   Matthew Alvares (tie)
   Sammy Moriaty (tie)

June Videos

Libera - The Fountain (Fan Cover)
Libera - ''The Fountain'' ( libera-peace ). Solo: Ralph Skan
(This one has been removed from YouTube)
Howard Shore: Return of the King - live in Kraków (2:07)
The Return of the King Soundtrack-03-Minas Tirith
Tom Cully MySpace

Summer USA Tour Promo

Official Libera Video
Summer USA Tour Promo

Stefan walking up center aisle

USA 2010 Tour Dates

All concerts begin at 7:30pm

Sunday 1st August
Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, Dallas
Admission Free - a goodwill offering will be taken
Visit Website
----------------------------------------------------------------
Monday 2nd August
Arborlawn Methodist Church, Fort Worth
Admission Free - a goodwill offering will be taken
Visit Website
----------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday 5th August
Cathedral Basilica,St Louis
Tickets $37 $27 $17 - buy tickets here
----------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday 8th August
Brentwood Methodist Church, Nashville
Admission Free - a goodwill offering will be taken
Visit Website
----------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday 10th August
Peachtree Presbyterian Church, Atlanta
Tickets $10 $20
Visit Website

Happy Birthday to Tom Cully

Happy Birthday to Tom on his 16th birthday (July 2nd)

We miss you!