Welcome to all new readers. |
For Part One (introduction to Libera and to the Timeline, extensive overview, & coverage for 1981-2007), please go to: http://liberatimeline.blogspot.com/
For The Tables of Contents for all Parts & Appendix A (there is also a Table of Contents at the beginning of each part): https://liberatimelinetocappenda.blogspot.com/
Festival, Japan, 2024
For Part Two (2008-2009): http://liberatimeline2.blogspot.com/
For Part Three (2010): http://liberatimeline3.blogspot.com/
For Part Four (2011): http://liberatimeline4.blogspot.com/
For Part Five (2012): http://liberatimeline5.blogspot.com/
For Part Six (January-May 2013): http://libera-timeline-6.blogspot.com/
For Part 6A (May-December 2013): http://libera-historicaltimeline6a.blogspot.com/
For Part Seven (January-July 2014): http://libera-historicaltimelinepart7.blogspot.com/
For Part 7A (August-November 2014): http://libera-historical-timelinepart7a.blogspot.com/
For Part 7B (December 2014): http://libera-historical-timeline-part7b.blogspot.com/
For Part 8 (January-March 2015): https://lib-erahistorical-timeline-part-eight.blogspot.com/
For Part 8A (January-March, 2015): http://liberahistorical-timeline-part-8-a.blogspot.com/
For Part 8B (August-December, 2015): http://liberahistoricaltimelinepart8b.blogspot.com/
For Part 9 (January-July, 2016): http://liberahistoricaltimeline-part-9.blogspot.com/
For Part 10 (January 1st, 2017-August 11th, 2017): https://li-berahistoricalt-imelinepart1a.blogspot.com/
For Part 10A (August 12th to December 31st, 2017): https://lib-era-historic-altimelinepart10a.blogspot.com/
For Part 11 (January 1st– October 20th: https://lib-er-ahistorical-timelinepart11.blogspot.com/
For Part11A ( October 21st to December 31st, 2018): https://li-berahistoricaltime-line11a.blogspot.com/
For Part 12 (January 1st to August 17th, 2019): https://liberahistoricaltimelinepart12.blogspot.com/
For Part 13 (January 1st to December 31st, 2020): https://liberatimelinepart13.blogspot.com/
For Part 14 (January 1st – July 5th, 2021: https://liberahisttimelinepart14.blogspot.com/2021
For Part 14a (July 5th - December 31st, 2021: https://histtimeline14alibera.blogspot.com
For Part 15 (January 1st - February 20th, 2022): https://15libhisttimeline.blogspot.com
For Part 15A ( February 20th - Present, 2022): https://libhisttimelinepart15a.blogspot.com
For Part 16 (January 1st – December 31st, 2023): https://libhisttimeline16.blogspot.com
For Part 17 (January 1st – Present, 2024) https://libhisttimeline17.blogspot.com
This is still the case, up to sometime in 2023 when the site administrator apparently had a sudden switch in priorities. The slack in keeping track of new members was taken up in 2024 by Padmachou, a contributor to the lively and knowledgable Libera Dreams Discussion Forum at: https://libera-dreams.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=4107
TABLE OF CONTENTS
#三菱未来館 #MitsubishiPavilion #JourneytoLife #大阪・関西万博 #EXPO2025
#リベラ #LIBERA
#村松崇継 #takatsugumuramatsu #composer #filmscore
Latest Concert and Tour Plans
We are pleased to be able to announce some of our upcoming concert and tour plans.
October 2025
We will be visiting the Philippines, followed by Indonesia, from 26th October to 2nd November. Venues and tickets will be announced in due course.
November 2025
We will perform concerts at Smith Square Hall on 29th and 30th November. Ticket link
December 2025
We have been invited to give two concerts at the Mosta Rotunda, a huge and beautiful church in Mosta, Malta, on 20th and 21st December. Ticket arrangements will be announced in due course, but in the meantime please do not contact Mosta Rotunda directly.
March/April 2026
We will be touring In Japan. We have 5 concerts planned
Ramblings from an Emerald Isle
By Yorkie
I have been to Ireland a few times (including for previous Libera concerts but only to Dublin in the South. Cobh (pronounced Cove) is a lovely little coastal town and, unfortunately, with a damn great hill with the Cathedral halfway up - walking up it once was enough for me! It is also a cruise ship port destination (and was the last port that the Titanic stopped at before its fateful crossing of the Atlantic).
On Friday morning a few of us were sat outside a pub (purely for medicinal purposes) opposite the town’s Titanic Experience when we saw the familiar blue shirts joining the queue to go in. A group of people at the next table noticed them and opined that it must be a school trip. I took the opportunity to explain who they were and they said they had seen the posters at the cathedral and were interested in attending the concert because the earlier than usual start of 7pm would allow them to get back to join their ship before it set sail at 11pm.
I understand that Libera and some parents also contacted the ship to let them know of the concert and it was mentioned in the morning briefing onboard plus the ship’s Facebook group. There was a good sized audience on the day so hopefully they got some new followers. Andy Winter was certainly selling a good few CD’s at the interval.
Following the rehearsal it was time to reintroduce the custom of queuing for the non-allocated seats. It wasn’t like the old days where we queued for 10 hours and then there was a charge for the front but it was a bit more stressful than having an allocated seat; the pews in Cobh were incredibly uncomfortable (if anybody cares about the suffering we had to endure to bring you these reviews)!
No Josh Madine on the piano/keyboards but his place was taken by Nathaniel Brawn, who has been involved with the group for ages and is credited as Assistant Musical Director.
In Cobh they used the cathedral’s natural raised platform as their stage. With the wires and cables for lighting and sound, this limited their access on-and-offstage to the front stage right.
In Kilkenny, they brought in a stage which was, well, a bit noisy when they moved around. The other difference was that in Cobh the musicians were between the audience and the stage and in Kilkenny they were to the sides and so we were further from the singers there. You might think that this makes little difference but in fact it does change the overall sound balance if you are sitting up front.
We then ventured into Sanctus where they formed their wide arc and Joseph Hill and Ben Hill sang the high descants.
Archie Robson and Samuel Whaley delivered the opening speech welcoming us to the concert, telling us about Libera and that the boys come from exotic places like Brixton and Tooting, and reminding us that it was their first visit to Ireland since 2013.
Julian Heitman then started One Small Voice for us and he has continued to develop from his first solo on this song last year to give a confident and poised performance. Joseph Hill, Ben Hill and Morgan Wiltshire contributed the supporting parts to the song.
The Seabird staging was a little cramped at Kilkenny due to the small stage, and so Joseph Hill was right at the front of the stage with the boys grouped in a block behind him facing left or right, opening out as the song progressed. Perfectly sung as you would expect from Joseph; his voice is blossoming as he matures.
Orinoco Flow was put back on the set list because of Ireland being the home of Enya (so Cory Agyei told us in his speech that followed) and it also matched up well with Cobh and the cruise-ship crowd. Edward Sargeant joined Corey in the speech and they introduced the four groups of brothers currently on stage (Joseph and Ben Hill, Pietro and Federico Vergani, Nathan and Caleb Slater and Corey and Caius Agyei (who high-fived each other). Oh, and Moose who is their Executive Producer. Edward seems to be the conduit for the vast musical expertise that Moose has gathered over the many years of his official Libera duties.
Thomas Mushrafi sang the solo on Stabat Mater watched from the audience by brother Freddie. Thomas sang his parts very movingly and with a calmness and assurance that we will miss when he inevitably moves to the back row.
Deep Peace (also known as Gaelic Blessing) was another nod to Ireland with Julian Heitman and Lewis Pearson delivering great vocals.
Next we had The Prayer sung by Joseph Hill. Everything about his singing is excellent and at both shows it was a brilliant and moving vocal but if I may say something...Joseph is growing up fast. His voice is developing a nice texture and The Prayer is a song for a younger voice. I think Joseph deserves more challenging songs, like Dido's Lament, to take full advantage of his voice and technical ability. Don’t take this as any criticism of his performance. It was perfect and moving, but this is a younger boy’s song in my eyes.
Now one of my favourite songs of the night - Do Not Stand. What a powerful and emotional experience this was. I can’t have been the only one to wipe tears away at the end of the song (well in Cobh; in Kilkenny I was sat directly behind [conductor] Liam Connery so I had to force myself not to cry because I didn’t want everybody on stage to look at the conductor and see me sat behind him blubbering).
What a powerful, powerful performance we got by Jerome Collins and his harmonizing partner Ben Hill. Jerome doesn’t just sing; he seems to channel the song through his body like he is completely consumed by the moment. He looks up to the heavens as he sings but his expression is of pure peace and contentment.
And, I can’t not mention Ben’s fantastic ability to slip into a perfect harmony with Jerome; it’s far from easy to get the blend just right. Every time Ben sings he does so with a smile and it is amazing how he can look so happy and still hit those blazing high notes perfectly. What a duo, what a performance, what a song, what a piece of luck to witness it twice in quick succession.
Before the next song Caleb Slater and Federico Vergani gave a speech to mention that Nathan replaced Nathanial at the keyboards for Do Not Stand and to introduce Eimer McGeown (whistle) and Ruairi Glasheen (on the bodhran) who both came on stage.
Eimer got the chance to say a few words about her journey with Libera and that Sam Coates had arranged the next piece, Kid on the Mountain, which was an old Irish slip jig, with a part created for the choir. I have to say it was really beautiful to hear Eimer on the whistle and Ruairi along with the Libera backing vocal.
The final song of the half was the triumphant return of Exultate. This was a song that also fitted well with the Bodhran and flute. Solo very nicely done by Edward Sargeant who showed that he is not just a witty speech giver/Moose interpreter but also has a great voice.
Intermission
The second half started slightly differently in each of the two concerts. In Cobh Eimer McGeown took to the stage alone, with a slight haze from the smoke and (I think) green lighting. She started to play her flute on She Moved Through the Fair and then after a short while of her alone on stage, Ben Hill walked slowly to stand beside her.
A little later the rest of the boys joined them one by one on stage behind those two. Ben’s part was to add a hauntingly beautiful descant to the flute. Stunning. Ben really excels in those high notes. In Kilkenny they all came on stage together, probably because the space was smaller and the stage very creaky so lots of boys walking on it separately would have been distracting. Incidentally, the two very Irish pieces with Eimer are on her album ‘Inis’ (sadly not with the Libera parts as far as I know). I really enjoyed these two pieces with Eimer, who is a very gifted musician.
In Paradisum was sung by Pietro Vergani starting alone and then joined by Theo Wilson. Pietro really fired this up and his voice suited it. He had no problem with those high parts, and this was one of the pieces recalled afterwards by many different fans as something special.
The first speech of the second half was Leon Clarke and Oscar James talking about the robes design being similar to monks' habits and not much like the usual clothing of boys living in south London. They then did the seven-part Libera harmony demonstration, which is always well received by the audience.
Then came If, and Jerome Collins came to the front. Now, I’m a huge Daniel White fan and this was one of Dan’s solos and it is his version they recorded which sort of makes it definitive but…Jerome’s younger voice and complete commitment to the performance, well, I think his version is my favourite. It has a tenderness and intimacy which just captures you as you listen and pulls you in.
I think this is a classic example of where different voice maturity can really change how you hear and connect to a song. Joint favourite performance of the concerts for me.
Salva Me, gorgeously lit in red, had Ben Hill singing the high “Salva!” parts, and the rising and falling arm movements, ending with bowed heads.
At this point I’ll mention that a fellow fan, Dani, who normally sits towards the front, decided to sit further back in Cobh near the soundboard for the second concert, so that she could appreciate the concert from a different perspective.
She confirmed what has long been stated that the sound actually blends better further back, and you get a balance between voices and music and the full lighting effect. True, you don’t see the individual faces and the little details as well, but it does give a nice experience. So, save your money and buy seats at the back in future (and let me sit at the front alone!).
San Damiano gets some mixed love but I quite like this new offering. It is nice and energetic and gets the foot tapping. The “languages” speech was given by Gabriele Marini and Lewis Pearson, introducing different boys who said a few words about where their families were from in different languages. Now, I’m not saying that Irish audiences are biased but when Tadhg Barber gave his speech in Irish the audience in Cobh went wild with cheers and shouts. He had a big grin that was shared by the boys around him.
From a Distance was Theo Wilson’s solo. It was introduced as having fitting words and a message of peace no matter where you are from or what language you speak. I’m not sure if Theo has had a full solo before but if this was his first, then there was no sign of it. Measured, note perfect, and a great tone to his voice. I enjoyed it considerably.
Thomas Mushrafi was back for Once, joined by Edward Sargeant and Joseph Hill. I love this song on the album and it was great to hear Thomas again. The sad part of Libera is that we know that the boys age out and we lose them but we have our memories of those times; when they sang for us, and entertained us, and shared the gift of their voice with us.
Nearer My God to Thee. famous as being the last song the band played as the Titanic sank; is one I look forward to. The Titanic was built in Ireland and her last port was in Cobh. This version is led by the impeccable Joseph Hill with Theo Wilson and Oscar James. I love it whatever arrangement they do.
Wilfred Gummer gave the farewell speech introducing the last song, and he told the audience that he only started singing with the group this year, and that if the audience cheered enough they might just get an extra Irish song to see them off. The audience cheered loudly at this.Wilfrid invited Tadhg Barber to say goodbye in Irish which got more whoops of delight, and then bid us goodnight.
We then had the lovely Veni Sancte Spiritu, which is a fantastic song in concert. Very uplifting and happy and showcases lots of different harmonies. This came with some complicated choreography, with the boys weaving in and out of each other and often walking backwards. How they managed it I don’t know, especially on that small Kilkenny stage.
Which brings us to the encore, and the final nod to Ireland with a folk song that I know from the Dubliners with that trademark Libera style added. The Fields of Athenry is a song about the loss of loved ones during the potato famine and is one of Ireland’s most famous songs. One of the lyrics that really stayed with me where they sing about raising a child with dignity. An unexpected but very welcome finale to two great concerts.—Yorkie
Tour Review by Surpinto
Brace yourselves; this is going to be a long one ! And keep in mind I wrote it before finding out you would experience a livestreamed concert in Montserrat, so I wrote a LOT of details ! I write with memories both from the Kilkenny concert and the one in Balbriggan (Dublin), and added thoughts after the Montserrat livestream.
Though they were all very different experiences. I think, all in all, I enjoyed the Kilkenny concert more, for many reasons:
• first time hearing the concert
• great cathedral atmosphere and lights
• a seat that allowed me to see all the boys pretty well (from 2nd row) despite not being comfortable (a rocking pew, can you believe it?).
Balbriggan’s Lark Theatre was just as interesting, but different. It was the first time I attended a Libera concert in a theatre (conceived as a theatre, unlike Sinfonia Smith Square in London).
The sound was very clear and distinct—you could hear more of all the subtle parts being sung, and I could hear the voices of the boys directly in front of me. We were really close, like, too close! First row meant you had your eyes at stage level and sometimes the boys were standing just on the edge of the stage.
Also, I had some sound material blocking my view from the middle (mostly of the Bigs). I also think the boys were a bit more focused in Balbriggan, maybe due to having a few days of rest before, or to the intimacy of the theatre. This resulted in a lot of emotion through songs.
Last comment: the livestream from Montserrat was actually the best way to enjoy lights and sometimes staging (depending on the focus of the camera).
[Note: as of Mid-August, the livestreamed concert at Monserrat was available on Youtube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkI8HhwTV4A&list=PLBFwlM3Vs-2UWLYneod-WPK0OWHWZiFAo&index=1(Concert at Monserrat, Spain/August 2nd, 2025/1:26:35)
The concert started with “I am the day”. Morgan Wiltshire delivered the solo, with a beautiful matured yet gentle voice, not pushing it, just soft but powerful enough. One of his best solos so far. His voice is amazing right now, but might break soon. The sad part is that this is all you will hear from him in this concert… he did not get another solo.
Ben Hill did the high notes at the end, with answers from Freddie Howarth. The boys were sorted into two groups on each side, facing the sides of the stage, their heads low. At the end of the solo some other singers joined Morgan for the harmonies, I would name : Ben Hill, Joseph Hill, Pietro Vergani (who was definitely doing the whispering parts), Oscar James and Edward Sargeant. On the chorus parts all raised their heads and faced the audience for a dramatic effect.
Next was Sanctus, an usual song during concerts these days. I think the Sanctus in Balbriggan was one of my favorite versions seen/heard live ever, due to the quality of the sound, and the fact that the half-circle on stage was pretty wide, so that you could see all the boys very well. They started where they stood at the end of I Am the Day and then moved to form the half circle. Ben and Joseph Hill did the very high notes, but I notice the long “Sanctus” during the chorus part was done by Leon Clarke. It is the first time I’ve noticed him doing sort of a “solo”. He did really well.
There was a speech by Archie Robson and Samuel Whaley, who has quite a low voice now. I had never heard Archie before, but he is a great speaker and has a lovely smile. They introduced the choir and spoke of Libera meaning “free” in latin.
I believe they also mentioned the youngest boys on stage (William Dunbar and Oscar Dixon-Wayne, 8 years old) and oldest (Mitchel Guy, Freddie Howarth, and Ethan Hutchinson, 15 years old). Archie said a funny sentence (I didn’t hear much laughter but I loved it) , saying that they were in Ireland to “sing some sights, see some concerts and have a bit of fun”. (The audience laughed in Montserrat; I thereby decree that people are more fun in Spain).
Julian Heitman did the solo on One Small Voice, with Ben Hill and Morgan Wiltshire doing the introduction notes, and then Joseph Hill on the high part. Julian is doing really well! His voice is steadier, very clear, and he has a great control over his lungs… I was stunned more than once. I hope he get more solos.
Seabird was next, with the usual staging. Joseph Hill stood at the head of four lines of boys behind him. Then the lines expand to form wings on either side of him. It was particularly interesting in Balbriggan where the stage was wide. In Kilkenny, the stage being small, it was a bit more difficult.
I like the record by Luca very much, but Joseph owns the song in a different way. It is a bit darker, though very peaceful, like there is something heavenly in this bird’s inspiration that Joseph conveys, somehow. The harmonies on this one always stun me….just love the way the voices blend—it makes me feel like I am flying, indeed. That is what is precious about music, how can I feel like I am flying over the seas, when it actually never happened to me? Amazing. 
Orinoco Flow was next. I usually don’t care for the song, but the percussion was really good and there was something irish about it. Fitting ! A lot happened on stage, the boys moved to form groups, then two lines, at least twice. Sometimes they faced inwards, then front, then sometimes toward offstage. It is actually interesting to try to spot who sings what on that song. If you have ever tried to sing it you might have noticed you are short on air: well, they sing one part and another group sings another part and you won’t even notice if you don’t pay close attention, because it blends perfectly.
Cory Agyei and Edward Sargeant delivered a speech mentioning the song being by Enya, who is Irish. Then they talked about Seabird being written by Joseph and Ben Hill’s mother. They introduced the four pairs of brothers (Ben/Joseph Hill, Nathan/Caleb Slater, Federico/Pietro Vergani, Cory/Caius Agyei) and the older Libera singers now working for Libera, like Liam Connery conducting them (he waved from the balcony in Balbriggan, it was funny), and Moose “the executive producer!” And then they said the next song had been recorded nine years ago, when some of the younger boys had not even been born.
Stabat Mater was great, with Thomas Mushrafi doing the solo. His voice is powerful and bright, but I fear it will break within a year. Yet, he looks relaxed. I was stunned with the overall quality of this song. The choir blends very well and powerfully, with a subtle climax and great lights, while the song is slow and dark. Thomas was standing in the middle, and the others were kneeling in two arcs.
Deep Peace was another highlight for me, which I did not expect. But Julian Heitman was so great on it! He carried the deep peace on stage and gently entrusted us with it… Like I said, his voice is amazing, and this solo actually isn’t an easy one. The choir handled the crescendo and dynamics really well. I was moved by the unity of the choir and what they gifted us through the lyrics. Julian was standing in the middle, with Lewis for back-up, and the other boys in two lines behind.
Joseph Hill did the solo on The Prayer. Some said it is a little-boy solo; I don’t disagree but don’t agree either. I like all sort of voices on that one, though I admit it does not showcase Joseph’s abilities. I wish he would sing a big solo on stage before his voice breaks, and was really hoping for “When I am laid in earth” for this tour.
That being said, the song was flawless, and moved me. I feel like the world needs peace and prayers these days, and Ireland was a fitting place to express it. During my stay there I learned a lot about their history, and I have seen a lot of protest against the famine in Palestine. Well, they know their bit about famine in Ireland. So, this might be why I felt connected to the song. Also there was a tsunami happening the same time as the tour. The boys were standing, with their hands linked in prayer, and they dropped them gently at the climax of the song.
Well I was already moved, but Do Not Stand definitely brought tears to my eyes. Boys were kneeling all around the stage facing different directions… Jerome Collins’ and Ben Hill’s voices work so well together ! It was amazingly good in both concerts. I cried in Kilkenny and found they were even more moving in Balbriggan…
Also, Jerome is a very special artist. I lack words to express it. Let’s say he sings with all his body AND soul. Even before he starts singing, he is smiling, absolutely at ease, but not in a bragging way at all. He looks just pleased and delighted to be humbly allowed to sing to us, and to the heavens (he sings while looking up a lot). You just can’t stop watching him and he expresses a youthful faith in life and its beauty I can’t explain.
Of course, Ben is remarkable as well; his voice is gaining in power and he has great control over it, and he is really good at harmonizing. I don’t know how old Jerome is, but the idea that these two are going to duet together for a few years is a delight in my opinion. I hope they record their version of this song, as it has not been recorded in a while and I don’t remember the two voices blending together so well ever. They are both very young which makes it even more impressive.
Caleb Slater and Federico Vergani did the next speech, and mentioned Robert Prizeman founding the choir, and that he had written the last song. They also mentioned Nathan Slater playing the piano on it. They announced the break to come, and introduced Eimear McGeown on the flute, and Ruairi Glasheen on the bodhran, both of whom actually stood on stage for the next songs. Eimear said a few words and said the song was Kid on the Mountain. It was good to see them for at least two songs, especially in Balbriggan, since the musicians were at the balcony and thus not visible. In Kilkenny you could see the orchestra and it was great to see them stand in front of the stage for the final bow.
Kid on the Mountain was one of my highlights, despite the boys not singing so much. I love the work Eimear did on it (I purchased her album and got it signed), and even more with Libera, and I suggested they should record it together.) I am not sure how to explain the feelings the song conveys for those who did not attend the concerts.
Somehow I could see the mountains, the boy, I could see irish landscapes, and water streams, and kids jumping over it to go on an adventure. I am so grateful to have heard the song, it made this Ireland tour more special and unique and gave me a peak of the irish culture, which was one of the reasons why I wanted to attend this tour. So, Eimear and Ruairi were in the middle, and the boys in half a circle. Really, just find the Montserrat livestream now, it’s easier than reading my review.
Edward Sargeant sang the solo for Exsultate to end this first part of concert, with just percussion and light piano notes for the start. It felt very pleasant and light-hearted. The flute was especially good, of course. (I think Eimear and Ruairi were standing at the sides of the stage.) The boys formed a big upside-down V, with Edward in the middle, standinga bit forward during the solo parts. Pretty dramatic on Balbriggan’s large stage.
INTERMISSION was a great time to purchase an album from Eimear as mentioned. Also, to speak with friends. While intermission at Montserrat was so short I did not even get time to queue to my own restroom!
The second part started with She Moved Through the Fair, with Eimear again playing the flute and Ben Hill doing descants. In Kilkenny everyone walked on stage at the same time, with Ben and Eimear standing in the center. In Balbriggan they got to make it a bit more spectacular, with Eimear entering alone and starting, then the boys entering the stage, Ben first, and after a while the choir joining in the harmony. Ben is impressive with his ability to deliver very high notes without effort, beautifully. It was a perfect way to introduce the second part, quiet and mysterious.
Then Pietro Vergani came center stage to sing In Paradisum. His voice is strong, and yet still sounds quite young, but it might be on the verge of breaking Sometimes he seems to hit the high notes easily, but sometimes less. He has grown a lot, so it would make sense. Anyway, I really liked his performance on this song. (During the livestream he delivered ALL the notes perfectly.)
They demonstrated the usual few notes from the song Libera, Leon conducting. Then they named the high, the first, the second, the third, the 4th, the 5th and the low voices… all boys raising their hands very quickly when their group was mentioned. You could notice that the very highest, Ben and Joseph Hill, have been joined by Emmanuel Mensah-Woods, who does not wear a microphone yet but is definitely singing a lot of the high parts.
If was another stunning moment. Jerome Collins really is fantastic, and he made something new with that song. I really loved Daniel White’s If, I still do, but they sound like different songs. Daniel’s interpretation, to me, is a bit dark; maybe it’s all in my head, due to the song being released just after the lockdown. It’s like, this “If” is rhetorical, knowing stuff will go wrong anyway but it doesn’t stop you from having hope and being a gentle soul.
Jerome’s If is… authentically bright? Hopeful? Like, he really genuinely candidly hopes for all to happen and be fine? And he smiles gently, and you smile with him… I found it appeasing. I wanted to believe with him and I wanted for him to be right, for his own sake. Can’t remember a thing about the staging, my eyes could not leave Jerome, but I gather the boys stood in two arcs around him.
Salva Me is nothing new, but I always love the song, the staging with the praying hands rising up. I wish the raised hoods would still be a thing though. Ben Hill’s voice fits very well with the song. I remember four groups, twoon each side of Ben. (Hey, the live stream allowed me to fulfill a dream. I always feel the need to do the hand moves with them, and I could absolutely do it at home!). Great red lights, dramatic.
San Damiano is not a favorite of mine but it is not sung live every day and I enjoyed it a lot; so did the boys if I trust their smiles. I felt like it lacked a bit of staging, though. They did not move at all, while the song is quite upbeat. But so much fun, really.
I really enjoyed how Gabriele Marini then explained that the song came from Italia, just like him and Pietro and Federico Vergani. They then proceeded to speak in many languages, a twist that had not been displayed for some years. Lewis Pearson is from Slovakia, Oscar James from Croatia, Julian Heitman from Germany, Leon Clarke from Poland, Max Bolton from Colombia and Thomas Sandoval Herrera from Ecuador… And Tadgh Barber spoke in Gaelic of course ! The audience cheered a lot.
Once was a highlight, both times, but the staging was better in Balbriggan (the boys just had an easier time moving on stage). This song has an overall atmosphere that makes me relax. I hope it stays on the setlist for a while. Like before, Thomas Mushrafi was is the middle, with Joseph Hill and Edward Sargeant for support on the second verse. The other boys were on both sides, facing outside the stage. Then they walked backward and crossed to the other side, without bumping each other, and then faced each other. It’s a nice staging. Enjoyed it very much during the livestream! You could see the staging very well.
Nearer my God to Thee was quite special, in Balbriggan, with the intimacy of the theatre. Joseph Hill was super close to the audience, and just in front of him sat a fellow Libera fan that has been attending many concerts in years. And there was sort of a connection between the two of them, I am not sure Joseph realized, but the person in front of him was watching him with stars in his eyes, breathing with him and silently cheering him with vibes. I wish I could have taken a pic, honestly.
One needs to be brave to start that song, a cappella. I really enjoyed it, I just wish I could have seen James (he was blocked from my view both times), and Theo Wilson’s voice could have been amplified better. I was impressed by Oscar all night; he does wonderful work on the middle voices. I could hear him pretty loud on some songs and he has a great ability for harmonies. Also, he is 100% into the performance. I hope he gets more solos, real solos on his own.
Wilfred Gummer then introduced himself, and said he started singing with Libera just this year. And then said it was time for their last song, though if the audience clapped enough, they had a special Irish encore. He called to Tadgh to say his goodbyes in Irish Gaelic.
Then they sang Veni Sancte Spiritu, with the same staging as usual, a LOT of moves. In Kilkenny they had to make it easier due to the lack of space on stage, and they dropped the swapping of lines. So, how to describe it? They move all the time like in circles intertwining, sometimes they all stop at the same time on specific words. Then they form two lines, and then they swap, the front line going back and vice versa. At some dramatic points in the song, they all walk one step forward at the same time, that is impressive. It’s a fun song, really. You want to dance a bit. Again, watch the livestream, you will see for yourself!
The encore was A-MA-ZING and I hope they record it (if it isn’t done already). Sure, The Fields of Athenry might seem a strange choice for British boys, since it is quite political if you look at the lyrics in detail (and well, the British government isn’t the hero of Irish famine), but it is also a story of a family being torn apart that I think even the boys can understand and convey.
They often sing about the need for peace, it suits them. And the arrangement is fantastic. It seems to be quite difficult to sing. I was impressed, I still am, I will never recover from that song.
Now, fun fact : from the Kilkenny concert to Balbriggan I have been humming to myself “long live the fields of Athenry”, thinking these stupid lyrics did not make very much sense, the fields can’t have looked great during the famine. Indeed, I am the stupid one. “Low lie” makes much more sense.
Yeah I know it was quite a long review, but I can’t refrain from writing more. I just want to mention smiles, dreamy faces… I was really moved by Tadgh Barber’s absorbed expression, and Wilfred Gummer’s genuine smiles that flashed from time to time. Ariyan Abbot is a dreamy one as well, while Jerome Collins is always smiling and somehow moving with the flow of music (which reminded me of Joseph Hill when he was younger).
Now, one thing I feel the need to say is that the choir has changed a lot this last year. The 2 last batches of newbies include : Ariyan Abbot, Oscar Dixon-Wayne, Wilfred Gummer, Arthur Lipscombe, William Dunbar (+ others than did not make the tour),Caius Agyei, Tadgh Barber, Max Bolton, Jerome Collins, Emmanuel Mensah-Woode, Archer Robson (+ Casper Duncan-Windley who was missing for the tour)
This makes a total of 11 out of 33 boys new on this tour, thus a third. And yet the choir sounds at its best. Sure, the newbies (other than Jerome Collins) have yet to sing solos, but they already engage in speeches and high notes. This means, in my opinion, that Libera is doing GREAT.
And the number of concerts planned for this summer, autumn, winter and spring to come (with two new countries, Spain and Malta) are a testimony. Many current soloists might end up in the back row soon enough, but there are others who have years to sing as trebles. I just wanted to acknowledge the work that has been done both by the boys and the staff, since the passing of Robert Prizeman. One could have been worried, but the older boys, as they say, forming the family of Libera, are handling it. This is my thank you to Sam Coates, Liam Connery, Steven Geraghty, Tadgh Fitzgerald, Kavana Crossley and the others we see still engaged with Libera.
Post-Montserrat addition :
Now, ok, Ave Verum IS a solo up to Joseph Hill’s voice ! This was wonderful! I hope to hear it live. I would like more recordings of him as well, thanks. If I’m asking too much, that’s their fault for providing too much fun and surprises this week.
Virolai : I was really moved by how everyone stood up, but I did not enjoy the song very much. But who cares if I enjoyed it? It’s great that they can adapt and give some joy to people wherever in the world, with local songs! Also, it was very fitting for the Millennial.
EDIT : OH WAIT, I said nothing about my week in Ireland. I absolutely LOVED it, visited a lot, enjoyed the landscape, ate Irish stew, swam in the sea (and got stung by a jellyfish), and met a lot of friends from all over the world. Thank you everyone for being so nice!—Surpinto
A Note on Monserrat by John45
At Montserrat I chose to sit about two-thirds back on the outer side of the left aisle. The sound was excellent, definitely better than upfront, as Robert always used to say.
The stage view was unobstructed but there were no close-up distractions of who had an itchy nose, whose shoelaces were undone and who had spilt orange juice on their lovely white robes - I could simply concentrate on the music and appreciate the magnificent setting and the beautiful lighting. Doesn't mean I won't sit up front again but just that it is well worthwhile to watch the show from a different perspective from time to time.
I was so glad that those of you who were not able to be here in person were able to watch the concert on livestream. Even if you missed it live, it will probably be available on video somewhere so no need for a full review, but thanks to the excellence of recent reviewers I have been shamed into silence anyway.
But I have to say that nothing beats personal attendance, especially to experience another "Bayan Ko" like moment, as we did last night with the reception for "Virolai". The entire audience (well over a thousand by the way) stood as one and many began to join in but were soon silenced by the beautiful solos of Pietro Vergani, Jerome Collins and Joseph Hill.
During the rehearsal I had asked one of the monks about the significance of the song (he was dressed in mufti but I had seen him in his priestly robes earlier on). He explained that during the Spanish Civil War Franco had banned the singing of the official Catalonian Anthem and that "Virolai" was adopted as their unofficial national song in its place. It remains a great source of pride for the Catalonian people as well as an expression of devotion and has great meaning for them.—John45
Fan Luckdragon adds:
On August 7th, Libera announced that soloist brothers Joseph and Ben Hill would appear in a gala celebration for the Royal Marsden Hospital.
"This special Gala Concert celebrates the evolution of The Friends and the enduring legacy of The Royal Marsden Hospital and its volunteers throughout the decades.
Curated in collaboration with Dominic Ferris (Steinway & Sons ambassador and internationally acclaimed concert pianist), alongside journalist and author Sophia Money-Coutts, attendees will enjoy a journey of music and reflection as they honour the charity’s 90-year history, from the formation of The Ladies Association in 1935 to the flourishing Friends of The Royal Marsden today.
Held in partnership with Steinway & Sons, the evening features performances by BLAKE, Georgi Mottram, Dominic Ferris, world-class choristers Joseph & Ben Hill from Libera, and The Chelsea Pensioners.
We also look forward to welcoming guest readers (appearing both in person and on screen), including Dr Sian Williams, who intersperse music with ‘letters live’ of the journey through time.
On August 9th, the first poster for the Philippines/Indonesia tour appeared on Instagram:
On August 22nd, a post on Instagram:
Well, if you are Jerome Collins you give four concerts with Libera and then travel to Scotland to assist Professor Martin Ashley (a published author on the science of boy’s singing voices and voice change) give a lecture. Jerome sang twice yesterday in the afternoon and evening of 22nd August, firstly in Inverness Cathedral and then at the tiny church of St John the Baptist in Rothiemurchus.
In the evening Professor Ashley gave an interesting, informative, and entertaining talk on the history of boys singing choral music and a little bit of the science behind how boys manage to still sing high through voice change, with demonstrations from Jerome singing various pieces as part of the talk and separate from the set list. We also had a wonderful surprise; Jerome has a twin brother, Conrad. Conrad isn’t into singing but he is a very fine young musician who plays, I think (brass instruments are not my expert subject) the Euphonium. Conrad played a couple of pieces for us which were well received by the audience. Speaking of audiences there was a decent attendance in both venues with perhaps 60 - 80 at Inverness Cathedral and around 40 in St John’s church (which wouldn’t hold many more).
The pieces sung by Jerome for his recital were:
Danny Boy
Music, for a while (Henry Purcell)
Pie Jesu (Gabriel Fauré)
On wings of song (Felix Mendelssohn)
Shepherds Song (Edward Elgar)
The Call (Ralph Vaughan Williams)
Linden Lea (Ralph Vaughan Williams)
An die Musik (Franz Schubert)
Who is Sylvia (Franz Schubert)
Somewhere (from West Side Story)
Faithful Johnny (Scottish folk song which was a duet with one of the ladies who works at the church)
Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye (Vera Lynn)
Yorkie's complete report can be found under Jerome's name in the "Members" section of the Libera Dreams Forum. https://www.libera-dreams.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=65403#p65403
Asia tour – Autumn 2025
Further to our previous announcement we will be visiting the Philippines and Indonesia in the autumn.
Philippines:
We are delighted to be returning to Manila for the first time since 2019. We enjoy a long relationship with our friends in the Philippines and very much look forward to our visit We are excited to be performing in the prestigious Aliw Theatre in Metro Manila on 28th October. Ticket information will be published as soon as it is available.
Our first ever visit to Indonesia will include two concerts in Jakarta at Arena JIEXPO on Saturday 1st November. Tickets are available from ticket.com
These concerts will include a collaboration with the Resonanz Children’s Choir. We had the honour to collaborate with Resonanz on our joint video Sing and we are looking forward to meeting them in person.
On August 26th and 27th, announcements of Libera's upcoming appearance in Indonesia appeared on Instagram and TikTok. Spokesboys on Instagram were Edward Sargeant, Hal Avery, Cory Agyei and Oscar James, speaking about the aspects of the visit to which they were looking forward.
On September 1st, fan luckdragon posted (on Libera Dreams) the results of a challenge to ChatGPT:
PROMPT: Create a 20-song playlist of published Libera songs from 1999 to the present that best exemplifies the group’s sound. Use only official releases.Deliver ONE final, already-sequenced list that maximizes contrast from track to track (alternate slower/faster, Latin/English, chant/pop-crossover, intimate/symphonic where possible). For each entry, include:
Title — *Album* (Year) — one concise, vivid one-liner explaining why it belongs.
Fan Surpinto then noticed that the songs on the list were limited to those released before and during 2018, so the list was amended:
Libera: 20-Song Playlist (1999–present) — Sequenced for maximum contrast in tempo and style
1) One Small Voice — Dream (2024) — Beethoven’s Adagio cantabile reimagined with Libera’s luminous treble and original lyric—sacred-classical crossover at its best.
2) Voca Me — Free (2004) — Dark, chant-tinged atmosphere over a basso drone—Libera at their most cinematic.
3) Gloria (from Saint-Saëns’ “Organ” Symphony) — New Dawn (2008) — Grand symphonic DNA meets boy-treble radiance—Libera’s crossover at full scale.
4) Always With You — Visions (2005) — Tender melody and intimate solo work—Libera’s gift for comfort music.
5) Sanctus (after Pachelbel’s Canon) — Libera (1999) — Pachelbel reimagined with soaring treble lines and deep reverb—Libera’s most iconic fusion of old and new.
6) Be Still My Soul (from Finlandia) — Forever (2023) — Sibelius turned into a slow-blooming benediction—pure Libera comfort-choral.
7) Sempiterna — Visions (2005) — An original Latin hymn with pulsing rhythm and luminous chords; quietly majestic.
8) Going Home (from Dvořák’s New World) — Peace (Deluxe Edition) (2010) — A folk-hymn feel over Dvořák’s Largo—nostalgic and consoling.
9) Far Away — Angel Voices (2006) — One of their most beloved ballads—simple, memorable, and heart-on-sleeve.
10) In Paradisum — Beyond (2018) — Liturgical Latin carried on weightless harmonies—angelic processional vibes.
11) Anima Christi — Forever (2023) — A classic Latin prayer carried on weightless harmonies—textbook Libera liturgy.
12) Agnus Dei — Libera (1999) — Liturgical text set to shimmering pads and bell-like piano, showcasing Libera’s “holy-ambient” palette.
13) Time — Peace (2010) — Clock-like ostinatos and an aching solo—Libera’s meditative side, distilled.
14) Ave Verum (after “Albinoni’s Adagio” in G minor) — Forever (2023) — Eucharistic text over Albinoni/Giazotto’s Adagio—Libera’s signature “old-meets-new” arranging in full glow.
15) I Am the Day — Free (2004) — A quintessential Libera original: plainchant motifs opening into a luminous, hopeful chorus.
16) Libera — Libera (1999) — The group’s namesake track: expansive harmonies, drifting synths, and that unmistakable treble bloom.
17) Adoramus — Free (2004) — Latin devotion delivered with rolling arpeggios and layered trebles—pure Prizeman writing.
18) Salve Regina — Hope (2017) — A Marian prayer that balances solemnity with that “glowing horizon” Libera sound.
19) Salva Me — Libera (1999) — A haunting, minimalist plea in Latin that defined Libera’s ethereal sound from the start.
20) Gaelic Blessing (Deep Peace) — Peace (2010) — Rutter’s benediction rendered as a velvety hush—signature Libera comfort-choral.
Why these four swaps
One Small Voice (Dream, 2024) in for Orinoco Flow: more quintessential to Libera’s sacred-classical core (Beethoven’s Adagio Cantabile + new lyric) while still modern and cinematic.
Be Still My Soul (Forever, 2023) in for Wayfaring Stranger: a deeper, more archetypal Libera benediction built on Sibelius, matching their comfort-choral identity.
Anima Christi (Forever, 2023) in for How Shall I Sing That Majesty: the Latin prayer text and luminous texture are closer to Libera’s liturgical hallmark.
Ave Verum (after Albinoni’s Adagio) (Forever, 2023) in for Ave Verum (2004): same sacred text, but the Albinoni/Giazotto Adagio pairing is a signature Libera “text over iconic slow movement” move.
Considered but not swapped
I auditioned If (title track), Cum Dederit (If), Veni Sancte Spiritu and Resurrectio (Dream), Beati Quorum, Come My Way, and God Only Knows (Forever). All are strong, but in each slot the existing track better represented the facet we wanted (namesake pieces, early-era signatures, or already-covered textures), so I kept the originals.
On September 8th, Libera posted a YouTube video on the group's projected 2026 tour of Japan, noting that Kobe had been added to the list of venues, which included Tokyo and Osaka.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RARprSnloRs&t=24s
Also on September 8th: Information from Japan on the upcoming 2026 tour:
From https://libera-records.com/news/concert ... 9/08/5695/
The ticket sales dates for the performances to be held from the end of March to early April 2026 have been decided!
Fan club pre-sales will begin on September 13, 2025.
We look forward to seeing you there!
In addition, the Fan Club Event 2026 has also been decided!
Please check the fan club website for details of the event.
Official Fan Club "from LIBERA, from LONDON" >>
SMFL Group presents
LIBERA Angel Voices Tour 2026
ticket advance sale
◆Tokyo performance
Date and time: Monday, March 30th, 2026 Doors open 17:30 / Show starts 18:30
Date and time: Tuesday, March 31st, 2026 <Daytime performance> Doors open 12:00 / Show starts 13:00
Date and time: Tuesday, March 31st, 2026 <Evening performance> Doors open 17:30 / Show starts 18:30
Venue: LINE CUBE SHIBUYA
◆Osaka performance
date and time: Thursday, April 2, 2026 Doors open at 18:00 / Show starts at 19:00
Venue: Orix Theater
◆ Kobe performance
Date and time: Friday, April 3, 2026 Doors open at 18:00 / Performance begins at 19:00
Venue: Kobe International Hall
◆Ticket price
Premium seat: 18,000 yen (tax included)
S seat: 14,000 yen (tax included)
[Premium seat benefits]
Includes a performance pamphlet and non-sale merchandise.
One "benefit exchange ticket" is included for each ticket.
◆Fan club ticket advance sale period:
Saturday, September 13, 2025, 12:00 - Sunday, September 21, 2025, 11:59 PM
◆How to apply
Online application (first come, first served)
◆ Ticket limit:
up to 4 per person
Please note:
*Only premium and S-seat seats are available for purchase through the fan club pre-sale.
*Ticket refunds will not be given due to poor health or infectious diseases such as COVID-19, except in the case of a canceled performance.
Please consider your own health and circumstances when purchasing tickets.
*One ticket is required per person.
*For wheelchair users, please call the inquiries desk.
*Those who have lost their ticket or forgotten it on the day of the performance will not be allowed to enter under any circumstances without a ticket.
*Please refrain from speaking or talking loudly inside the venue.
*Please note that we will not accept any gifts or presents.
*There will be no autograph session after the matinee performance on Tuesday, March 31st (for those who purchased merchandise on the day of the performance).
Details regarding the autograph session will be announced as soon as they are decided.
[About Fan Club Event 2026]
(NOTE: As there is no 'L' or 'B' sound in the Japanese language, the official name of the group in Kana is literally "Rivera.")
With Rivera's cooperation, we will be holding our first bus tour, which will be enjoyed by both the fan club members and Rivera! The tour will depart from Osaka city at around 9:00 AM and return to Osaka city at around 7:00 PM.
We are currently working with Rivera to decide on the tour details.
Please look forward to it!
■Date and Time:
Saturday, April 4, 2026, from approximately 9:00 AM to approximately 7:00 PM (time may vary)
■Tour Details
A secret destination in Kansai that even Rivera has not visited yet
. *Details will be provided only to the winner.
*Travel by bus will be separate from Rivera.
■Costs
Participants will be responsible for the actual costs of bus fare, admission fees, meals, etc. More details will be provided at a later date.
■Number of applications:
Only the applicant himself/herself
*Preschool children are not permitted to participate
*Only one application per person is permitted
■Application period
will be announced at a later date.
September 8th also marked the 4th anniversary of Libera Founder/Director Robert Prizeman's passing. In recognition, composer Takatsugu Muramatsu released a piano cover of their 2006 song 彼方之光 (Far Away).
Fan Luckdragon observed: "Robert's lyrics are a poignant reminder that those we carry in our hearts are never far away."
Wherever I go
Far away and anywhere
Time after time you always shine
Through dark of night calling after me
And wherever I climb
Far away and anywhere
You raise me high beyond the sky
Through stormy night lifting me above
Venite Spiritu et emitte caelitus
Venite Spiritu et emitte caelitus
Venite Spiritu Venite Spiritus
Far away beyond the sky
Whenever I cry
Far away and anywhere
You hear me call when shadows fall
Your light of hope showing me the way
And wherever I climb
Far away and anywhere
You raise me high beyond the sky
Through stormy night lifting me above
Venite Spiritu et emitte caelitus
Venite Spiritu et emitte caelitus
Venite Spiritu Venite Spiritus
Far away beyond the sky
Here the translations of the different texts:
Main text in the post:
"At the Java Jazz Festival 2025 yesterday, the eccentric English musician Jacob Collier performed the song “Indonesia Pusaka” while inviting the audience to sing along.
A goosebump-inducing atmosphere was created, with the audience swept away in feelings of emotion and pride.
Now, what if such a moment were to happen again in the form of an elegant choir performance in Jakarta?
The famous English boys’ choir, Libera, will perform in Indonesia. There will be a special moment when “Indonesia Pusaka” is performed together with Indonesia’s outstanding choir, Resonanz Choir.
For those who love high-quality performances, make sure this event is on your agenda."
Text in image 1:
"Libera, Unique Boys' Choir from London
The sensation of boys' voices whose vocal cords have not yet broken"
Image 2:
"Imagine you’re watching a harmony concert….
But the performers are cute little boys from London, with clear and pure voices because their vocal cords haven’t broken yet.
They are part of a boys’ vocal group: LIBERA."
Image 3:
"LIBERA has actually existed since the 1980s under a different name, St. Phillip’s Choir.
So, wouldn’t they all be old by now?
Because they are indeed a boys’ choir, once their voices start to break during adolescence, they usually retire from Libera. Regeneration keeps going, which is why this group stays forever young."
Image 4:
"They regularly tour various countries, including the US, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and across Europe.
At every performance, they always wear white robes, not only as an icon, but deliberately to give off angel-like vibes. When the lights shine and blend with their clear voices, wow… the vibe that emerges really gives you goosebumps!"
Image 5:
"The uniqueness of LIBERA’s voices is often used as film soundtracks, such as Romeo & Juliet, Hannibal, and others.
LIBERA’s repertoire is very diverse, ranging from Latin songs to pop songs rearranged, such as Enya’s “Orinoco Flow.”
What if the national song “Indonesia Pusaka” were rearranged and sung by LIBERA?"
Image 6:
"Yes, the song “Indonesia Pusaka” will be rearranged and performed by them together with one of Indonesia’s top choirs: Resonanz Choir.
Specifically, LIBERA will be coming to Indonesia for their world tour!
For music lovers, fans of high-quality performing arts, and classical music enthusiasts, this event must be on your agenda."
In addition to 14 tracks specially selected from those albums we have re-recorded one of the most popular of Robert Prizeman’s arrangements – "Panis Angelicus." This was first recorded by Libera in 2010, and this new release gives supporters the opportunity to enjoy the next generation of boys singing this timeless classic by César Franck.
Wonder captures the awe and beauty of the Libera sound and these recordings showcase some of the most spectacular moments from the past eight years.
Wonder will be released on 14th November on CD and all streaming platforms. It is available now for pre-saving on streaming platforms
Summer Tour 2025 – Part 1
By Tadhg
So, Libera went to Ireland, and here’s what happened. Spoiler: I might be a millionaire now.
Water Drama
On the first flight to Cork from London there was this big mix-up about water. Somehow I ended up paying for the water for everyone in my row. Like, the WHOLE row. Basically, I became Libera’s new Water sponsor!
Max felt bad, so he bought me a scratch card on the plane. And guess what? I WON… well, not the money, but a chance to maybe win ONE MILLION EUROS. So basically I’m rich in the future.
Playground Takeover
We went to a playground. There were only three kids there. Then BOOM — thirty Libera boys showed up and took over! Some boys were playing football, so we challenged them. Choir vs. Ireland. Naturally we won! There were a lot of us after all so we had to do substitutions.
University College Cork
Whilst in Cork and Cobh, we stayed at the University accommodation, and for the first time on a Libera tour I got my own room. No snoring to wake me up this time! It was also where my mum had studied
Prison Time (Not Really)
We visited Spike Island, which used to be a prison. We saw the cells, and of course we pretended to be prisoners.
I also found out I had a long-lost relative there called Edward Bohan. Sadly, he didn’t exactly make it out of the prison.
Lunch was ham and cheese sandwiches with Tayto crisps. Crisps are officially the best part of any Irish diet.
Oh, and I GOT SUNBURNT. In Ireland! I might be the first person ever.
Titanic Stuff
We went to the Titanic Museum. Everyone got a card with a real passenger’s name to follow. My guy survived, but his brother didn’t. So, half a happy ending.
Concert Time
We had our first concert in Cobh at St Colman’s Cathedral. I even spoke Irish at the concert, and everyone cheered, which was a big highlight for me.
One fan even gave me €20! It turned out she was the grandmother of one of my friends from London.
Other Important Things
- We handed out fliers to people from cruise ships. Some of them actually kept them and came to the concert! Victory!
- Breakfasts were amazing. Totally traditional Irish food like… pain au chocolat and croissants.
To be continued…
Summer Tour 2025 – Part 2
By Gabriele
As we arrived in Kilkenny, we were told that we would be leaving our cases on the coach as we were only doing one concert there. Moving off the coach we headed to St. Canice Cathedral to leave all our equipment as well as robes and bags. We had lunch in an Italian restaurant in town which had lovely food like pizza and pasta. After our delicious lunch we walked up to Kilkenny Castle where we did a little shopping and had some overpriced crepes! Next up was the walk down to the venue where we had a quick sound check followed by a fantastic concert. Tired, we helped move some small equipment to the coach. We quickly went to the hotel and moved to our rooms. Having had dinner in the vestry of the church we quickly went to sleep, excited for Emerald Park of the next day.
The day started with us moving out of the hotel after a very filling breakfast. With only one lift working some of us took the stairs which wound into a long corridor leading to the lobby. As we piled onto the coach it began lightly raining which was a disappointment as we were supposed to go to Emerald Park. For some reason we still had to apply sunscreen!
The coach journey was uneventful and before long we had arrived at Emerald Park. With its towering rollercoasters. When we stepped out of the coach and got into our groups we were given wrist bands for the entry. We all dispersed as we went our different ways. Some went to the large roller coasters while others chose the log flumes or carnival games. One of the most surprising things possibly even more than the tallest and freakiest rides was that two Libera boys came back with a very large plush panda. We named him Pandy, and he became our most recent member! For those who went on log flumes, we had to go back to the coach still slightly wet as not a lot of us wanted to pay the dryer fee.
After an eventful and exciting day we were pleased to reach the school we were staying at and looking forward to a good night’s sleep!
To be continued…
Summer Tour 2025 – Part 3
By Moose, translated by Edward
When we first arrived at the school, all the boys began moving into their rooms, however I did not have a room. I was quite comfy in my moose stable. The boys all enjoyed the food, at least most of it. At one point there was a full-blown fight for the last slice of apple crumble and I was stuck in the middle of it. The lunch lady Eleanor liked everyone, but I think I was her favourite given I was the only moose there. The boys played many games however my favourite was the prop advert game: I was the star of the show being used as the main prop! My team’s advert was called the moose wash.
My favourite part of the day was when we all got into pyjamas, ate our biscuits, drank our juice and watched a film all together. We watched lots of great films but unfortunately, none of them were documentaries on Mooses. The next morning, I loved it when all the boys sang to the headmaster and Eleanor because of their reactions – they got quite emotional.
On the [third] day, there was a rumour going round that the school was haunted – after that we decided that it wasn’t worth the risk, so the boys and I packed up our things and hopped onto the mighty coach. I was put up with the boys as I was too important to be put down with the other luggage. Then, the battle of whether people preferred Freddie’s taste of music or Mitchell’s taste of music commenced. Frankly, I would’ve preferred moose opera to either of their suggestions.
To be continued…
Summer Tour 2025 – Part 4
By Leon
Following our fabulous four nights at the school, we took an early coach to our concert venue and home for the night, the Lark. The Lark is a brand-new concert venue especially built for choirs so, as you would expect, it was a stunning venue. Following a quick change and short read (we wouldn’t get our devices back until the next day!), we went to do a soundcheck and rehearsal. Although the venue was smaller than usual, it certainly made up for it in grandeur. With the orchestra behind us on a raised platform and the seating ascending to another level, it was one of the most stunning venues I’ve performed at, and it was certainly a great place to finish our Ireland leg of the tour.
Once rehearsal was finished, we took a quiet stroll down to the beach, with Andy taking his usual amount of photographs. An extra five minutes of skimming stones later, we headed back up to the restaurant for lunch, which offered an amazing selection of food grilled on the barbecue, namely burgers, chicken wings, and sausages. But with a lot of it covered in barbecue sauce, I can say that many of my friends (and I!) got very messy. Luckily, we had changed back into our Sunday uniform so no one went on stage looking like a crime scene.
After the delicious lunch, with the concert fast approaching, we changed back into our robes and, after another quick read and mic check, it was time to start the show. The show was similar in songs to our previous concert at Southwark but included three special Irish pieces. These were performed with help from Eimear and Ruairi playing some traditional Irish instruments.
At the end of a very successful third concert, we headed to where we were staying for the night which, helpfully, was right next to the concert hall. We stayed in rooms of mixed numbers and ages, each with our own bed in our own little cubicle. We all had a very comfortable sleep, despite Eleanor having to come into our room at midnight to kill a spider! Luckily, we got back to sleep soon after, as we were woken up at six o’clock in the morning to catch a very early flight.
On arrival at the terminal, we had a quick breakfast before going through passport control and security. After a short refreshment break at duty free, we headed to our gate and boarded our flight to Barcelona. Once we collected our luggage at the airport, we walked outside into the humid air for a scenic half-hour drive up into the mountains, before arriving at our hotel opposite the beautiful Montserrat Abbey, ready to start our final concert of the tour.
To be continued…
Summer Tour 2025 – Part 5
By Ariyan
The day we had to travel to Monserrat started like a daze. We had to wake up ridiculously early for our flight to Barcelona (seriously, even the birds were still snoring). As the night before in Dublin was a late night, I honestly thought it was a prank when the chaperones came to wake us up! Somehow, my zombie-self managed to roll out of bed and onto the plane.
When we landed in Barcelona, it was like stepping into an oven! And there we were, in our white hoodies, turning into sweaty marshmallows. Well, I say white… mine had quite a few oranges stains from pasta sauce! It was so hot, I kind of wished I was back in England where I knew it would be raining!! (Only kidding!! Who wants that?!) The bus ride to the Abbey was… long? Maybe short? I don’t really know because I fell asleep and woke up drooling. Oops.
At the Abbey we met the Abbot. He’s the one who invited us to sing there because it was their 1,000th birthday! That’s older than my great-great-great-great grandad (probably). I even got to tell him that my surname is Abbot too, and he laughed and said I should take his job. Ummm, no thanks! Pretty sure I’m not qualified to run an Abbey.
Rehearsal time came, and our stage was outside, directly under the sun. It felt like we were being cooked alive! Luckily, we got Monserrat baseball caps, so at least my brain didn’t melt. While we were sweating buckets, people were setting up what looked like a millionchairs. It was more chairs than the other concerts we had just done, and it made me feel a little nervous.
Then came the fun part; the funicular ride up the mountain. Imagine sitting in a cable car that basically climbs straight up a cliff. I was gripping my seat like as if I was holding on for dear life. At the top, it jolted so hard that we were thrown to the back of the cable car. I wanted to be back on lower ground!! But wow, the view! I felt like I was on top of the world… or at least king of the clouds. It was an amazing sight!
We also visited the Basilica and saw the Black Madonna statue, which lots of people believe has miraculous powers. I was lucky enough to touch it! There was even a painting called St Jerome in Meditation, which made Jerome in our choir very happy!
That night was the big concert. When I peeked out at the crowd, someone whispered there were over 1,000 people! My knees immediately started doing the Macarena. But as soon as we began singing, the nerves kind of melted away. The best moment was at the end when we sang the Monserrat anthem and the entire crowd stood up and sang with us. I felt very proud and honoured to be part of that moment. But I also felt very relieved that our last concert was over and it was a success!
The next day we went into Barcelona and because the concerts were finished, I could really enjoy myself more. We saw the Sagrada Familia, which looks like a like a giant Lego project that went a bit out of control. It’s still not finished after 100 years, which is a bit unbelievable! (Makes me feel better about leaving my homework until the last minute, at least I can get it done!) Then we ate the best chocolate-covered strawberries ever at La Boqueria, and bought a few souvenirs on Las Ramblas. After that it was beach time! We played water polo (badly), tried to fight the waves (failed), and dug giant sand holes with our hands because who packs a spade for a tour? Not us. We finished the night with pizza on the beach and a world premiere of the Bigs horror film, Hotel Scarelevania. It was supposed to be scary, but I found it hilarious!
And then… just like that, my first Libera tour was over. At the start, I was scared and homesick (12 days without my family felt HUGE), but by the end, I felt like part of the Libera family. I had the best time ever, and I can’t wait for the Asia tour – bring it on!
To be continued…
Summer Tour 2025 – Part 6
By Jerome
After a nice lunch at the hotel, we headed back to our rooms for an hour-long siesta. [Chat GPT: Siesta is a Spanish period of rest in the middle of the day when it’s too hot to work.] We could relax, sleep, read or basically do anything that involves relaxing and not moving too much, like… dropping Labubu head toys on your friends from the top bunk – right, Archie bro?!
Later, when we were well-rested, we changed into our Sunday uniform, took our robes from the cupboards and walked to Montserrat Abbey. There we changed into our robes and put on our Montserrat caps, kindly given to us that morning by the abbot. Unfortunately we couldn’t wear the caps the way we really wanted to – with the brims at the back like American rappers! I guess that wouldn’t help keep the sun out of our eyes. The rehearsal went smoothly and though it was warm there was always a breeze and it fanned our robes in a nice way.
Ok, so here’s a riddle for you: before the concert that night, one of the boys took his mum’s advice and had a shower! Can you guess who it was? He had clean hair and felt super fresh while the rest of us… well, we’re just normal boys after all! The concert went really well, though. It felt a bit strange singing outdoors but also beautiful and completely unique. The breeze acted like our own natural wind machine and the crowd was lovely and welcoming so even though it was a late start at 9pm we didn’t feel tired and enjoyed every minute.
The next morning we packed our bags and set off for Barcelona where we visited the Sagrada Familia, a basilica designed by architectural prodigy Gaudi. The building is due to be completed next year – given that construction started in 1882, it’s about time!! If it is finished then it will coincide with the 100th anniversary of Gaudi’s death. [Hats off to him – my Lego creations don’t even last a year….] After lunch we did a little shopping, popped giant bubbles and had a HUGE war with some local pigeons (who may have won). Then we got on the metro to go to the beach. There we played FOLLEYBALL – volleyball with a football – paddled in the ocean and took turns throwing each other into the sea! Supper was excellent pizza from a beachside restaurant – life is good when you’re eating delicious pizza by the sea with your friends.
The next day was our last on tour – sad! We visited the really cool Gothic quarter of the city, did some essential shopping (friendship bracelets, key rings and puzzles) and were allowed to buy our own lunches at a gigantic market. I opted for a fresh sandwich with the best chorizo ever! Later, we returned to the hotel where the Bigs premiered their finished horror movie, the one they had filmed at Headfort school. It was creepy… and amazing! Then the Bigs ran some games for us (Sleeping Lions is the best) before it was time to go the airport.
This tour in three words: fun, busy, AMAZING! Thank you to everyone who made it happen. We boys are so lucky to be part of the best choir ever! Ok, we might be a bit biased (just a teeny bit) but hope you agree too. Thanks for reading and… BYE! ;D
To be continued…
End of Part 18A For Now
