introduce yourselves

[MWheeler]

Hi There,

I'm Mike and am a newbie to Libera (and Libera Dreams) as of about a month and a half ago. I stumbled across a youtube video of "Sanctus" and then started to search for more! I have 4 or 5 of their CD's and of course, their DVD, which is absolutely wonderful! I'm glad I learned of Libera prior to their US tour... how lucky for me!!! I'll be going to as many of their concerts as possible.

A little about me: I'm a music teacher of 17 years. I teach music (band, instrumental lessons, chorus, general music, recorder & handbells) at an emelentary school in Pennsylvania to kids in grades 3-5. I'm also the director of the senior high concert band, marching band & handbell choir. For anyone interested, our web site is http://www.NorthwesternMarchingBand.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've got my Libera CD's in my car (as well as on my computers!) and have now introduced quite a few people to them incuding some of my HS students. =)

[tcliffy]

Wow, that's awsome!!! It's great to meet you and you are more than welcome here I'm sure. I took band in Middle School and loved it. Our little band was (we were told) so good that we were asked to play at a local high school football game and we were invited to an exclusive presentation by the University of South Florida concert band. It's really neat having you with us. Welcome

[Anonymous]

Welcome, seems like you are a big fan of music. I never played for a band but I am quite good on drums and the snare, taught myself actually.

But anyway, welcome to Libera Dreams, sorry for the inconvenience you had to go through just to get on here Hope you enjoy yourself!!

[Mathmaniac]

Hey,

I'm new to the forum, though I discovered Libera about 2 1/2 months ago. It was kind of random actually. I was looking on Youtube for a specific version of "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day" (the one that jumps from 4/4 3/4 quit liberally) and I found Libera's video. Although their arrangement wasn't very imaginative (in my honest opinion), I ended up searching some of their other music. I think it was the original version of Salva Me that drew me in. I now have all their US released CD's and the concert DVD, plus a ticket to the Albany show in April.

A little background on me: I'm a 1st year math graduate student in Syracuse university (hence the username). I've been in choirs only for the past 6 years. I love hearing interesting harmonies, high descants, canons, variations on plainsongs, etc., which is ever-present in Libera's music.

[tcliffy]

yae, A new person!!!

Welcome Mathmaniac!!! It's so good to have you here. And your a math major too...WOW!!! I have never liked math and have only found how fun it can be this semester. As for Libera's song that you didn't find completely satisfactory, thats alright. Some of their older songs I have found are no where near as good as their new songs. Anyway, welcome again.

[Mathmaniac]

The singing on it was fine, but the arrangement was a bit too bland for my taste and it didn't use the boys' ranges as effectively as it could have. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice arrangement, but I was half expecting the vocables (oo's, ah's, etc.) to help drive the piece towards the end (maybe a bit more divsi). I'm guessing the video was from 4-5 years ago, as it had a young Tom, Callum, etc. as well as a teenager Ben and Steven. And yes, the newer songs show much growth in Prizeman's composing ability.

Are Ben/Steve/Sam going to try their hands at composing for Libera? I know Ben lended lyrics already, Steve plays many instruments on the newer albums, and all three help with the recording process, but will they try composing?

[tcliffy]

I think they will if they have not already done so.

[Anonymous]

Welcome to Libera Dreams Mathmaniac, great to have you with us.

And about your question about Ben/Steve/Sam doing some of their own composing for Libera, they already have. If you look at some of their albums and look at the composer/writer/arranger, you will find either Ben, Sam, or Steven's names on there along with Robert Prizeman's. Steven actually wrote the music for 'Never Be Alone' which can be heard on Libera's latest album 'New Dawn'. Hope this answers your question!! Welcome once again to Libera Dreams!!

[barlies04]

hi mathmaniac
welcome to the forum
it's good to have another
new member to our ever growing
band of Libera fans
jim

[xsakurax]

Hey peeps, I'm new here! Shall I introduce myself?
Well, I'm a 18 year old polytechnic student living in Singapore. Have anyone been to Singapore or even heard of Singapore? It's in South East Asia, anyway. Haha.
Alot of you actually live in Europe or USA? I think it's really cool. I hope one day I get to travel to these wonderful countries as well. I really really really love the "western kind of lifestyle". Haha.

[tcliffy]

Well, your certainly very chirpy .
Glad you could join us. It's great having you here. As for Singapore, no I have never been there, I haven't been anywhere in Asia. I've only been to various countries in Africa, Europe, Central America, and obviiously the U.S.

If you can, come visit the U.S. and Europe, they are both awsome places as I'm sure Singapore is.

[Anonymous]

Welcome to Libera Dreams xsakurax, glad that you could join us. As for Singapore, I have never been there before, but I may decide to take a vacation there later on. The US and Europe are great places though and I am pretty sure if you were to come and visit, you would like it

[xsakurax]

Hello! Just curious, did u guys been supporting Libera since a long time ago? Come to think of it, I just kind of came across it in youtube like less than 4 or 5 months ago! And almost immediately I had fallen in love with this particular genre of music. I can definitely still remember the first Libera song I heard was Far away, solo's by Michael Horncastle. It was really magnificent!

And since then I got hooked by their music, and I can proudly say I'm a fan of theirs! I have seen through completely all of their videos from youtube and every other websites which has got their information, music or videos. Woow!

AND AND I love their music alot.

I wish I could sing like them! And obviously, I not so proud to say that I used to be in the school choir in Secondary school.
I almost always got freaked out when I have to sing alone in front of so many people. I wonder how these boys did it? I'm quite terrible in choir too, - I'm soprano, but when I sing with an alto (when we practice parts), I ended up singing the alto range.
So embarrassing!
Opps. Did I write too much? LOL.

[tcliffy]

I've been a fan of theirs for about one and a half years and I too was introduced to them when I discovered a video of their's on youtube. As for stage fright... that's natural and the only way to overcome it is through experience. I have had to speak in fornt of about 2000 people and that completely cured me of stage fright.

[Mathmaniac]

Sometimes the best way to improve your singing is to be thrown into instances where your voice WILL stand out. For instance, this semester I sing at Mass at my university. There are normally 4 voices singing (one female, 3 male), and we end up singing in 2 or 3 parts most of the time (one guy stays on melody). Add a couple of microphones less than a foot from your mouth, and you realize you need to hit the harmonies well.