Libera Members Time Line

[fan_de_LoK]

I was wondering whether anyone thought there could be a link between Hal and Luke Avery?

We directly asked the question to Luke last year at a concert, and he said they are not related.

[Dinedorelle]

Following on from the Xmas concert in London, maybe it's time to do a bit of 'housekeeping' with regards to current members of Libera.

The oldest boy of the current members, Alex Gula, didn't appear sadly although he did for the online concert in June. It's unknown whether he's just missed one concert, but he's at the age when many former members have left (sometimes temporarily) to concentrate on exams.
I'd love to see him back next year joining the back row for another concert.
Likewise, Samuel Francis-Collins was also absent, despite singing in the online concert in June.
Finally in this group that sung online but missed the last concert, is Felipe Jackson.

The concerts in 2021 will clear up much of this doubt whether they have left the public face of Libera.

The 6 following boys I think have probably left the group as they neither took part in the online concert, the Kids United video or the filmed Xmas one.

Leo Barron
Oliver Mycka
Romeo Tessei
Cassius Collard
Benjamin Weevil
Nicholas Taylor

[theriverflowson]

Following on from the Xmas concert in London, maybe it's time to do a bit of 'housekeeping' with regards to current members of Libera.

Thanks so much for the 'housekeeping' work, Dinedorelle, just thought about doing that when reading your post!

The first name I checked for the programme was Alex Gula, I really hope we will see him again in 2021. It's quite impressive to read his "Libera vita" at the Libera Boys Choir Database, he is like an institution and my impression always was that he brings so much positive spirits into the group!

Is Rocco Tesei already anticipated as a former member, btw?

[Dinedorelle]

Following on from the Xmas concert in London, maybe it's time to do a bit of 'housekeeping' with regards to current members of Libera.

Thanks so much for the 'housekeeping' work, Dinedorelle, just thought about doing that when reading your post!

The first name I checked for the programme was Alex Gula, I really hope we will see him again in 2021. It's quite impressive to read his "Libera vita" at the Libera Boys Choir Database, he is like an institution and my impression always was that he brings so much positive spirits into the group!

Is Rocco Tesei already anticipated as a former member, btw?

Alex was my first check too

Rocco Tesei was in the same intake as Alex in 2013. I dont know whether they were classed as Miniboys back then.
He also drifted off the scene at the end of 2019, and we've not seen him since.
Romeo his younger brother joined in 2015, but also disappeared at the end of 2019.
I think we should assume they are now both former members.

The link to view this data is here

[Dinedorelle]

For those that are interested, the chart below is a simple representation of the number of boys plotted against their ages when each started and left the group.
The sample is of 83 boys whose starting and leaving dates are well documented (from the Timeline record between 1984 and 2018).

A good many of the more recent boys can't be included in the chart as they are still members, but Libera are certainly taking boys at a much earlier age than they used to do in years gone past.

[Padmachou]

That's very interesting, thank you !

A good many of the more recent boys can't be included in the chart as they are still members, but Libera are certainly taking boys at a much earlier age than they used to do in years gone past.

It depends on which "years gone past". Tom Cully was very young when he started, wasn't he ?
But yes I find it very reassuring that there are many mini-boys and young ones, for the future.

Which one started at 13 ? Must be strange, having your first concert at the same time with 7 years old

[bachmahlerfan]

I thought somebody mentioned that according to Eleanor Lewis, Simon Lewis was six years old when he joined. I don't know if he sang in a concert that young, but he may have sung at a church service.

[Luckdragon]

For those that are interested, the chart below is a simple representation of the number of boys plotted against their ages when each started and left the group.
The sample is of 83 boys whose starting and leaving dates are well documented (from the Timeline record between 1984 and 2018).

A good many of the more recent boys can't be included in the chart as they are still members, but Libera are certainly taking boys at a much earlier age than they used to do in years gone past.

Thanks for this. It's very interesting.

Regarding age upon leaving, we should try to identify the year when Angel Voices started adding boys with deeper voices. I think it was about the time they started using the name Libera. Up to that point, boys would automatically leave the choir as soon as their voice changed. That would skew the leaving age much younger during those years. In the years following, it would be more consistent to track when their voices changed instead of when they left the choir because only a select few are needed as Big Boys in the Back.

Regarding age upon starting, I believe the intake process has changed in recent years. Formerly, boys were either referred to Angel Voices by school music teachers or they just happened to try out for the St. Philips church choir. This usually happened at a later age, like 9 or 10. Angel Voices and the church choir were kind of the same thing and the boys sang in both.

Now I think there is a more formal training process where boys as young as 7 will try out specifically for Libera. If selected, they go through a formal training program and graduate to Libera. They may be asked to sing in the church choir as minis but I think at some point it becomes optional.

[TullyBascombe]

Gregor Lumsden had to have been close to 13 at the time of his first Libera concert. Most of the boys who start late probably have had experience in other choirs.

[Dinedorelle]

That's very interesting, thank you !

A good many of the more recent boys can't be included in the chart as they are still members, but Libera are certainly taking boys at a much earlier age than they used to do in years gone past.

It depends on which "years gone past". Tom Cully was very young when he started, wasn't he ?
But yes I find it very reassuring that there are many mini-boys and young ones, for the future.

Which one started at 13 ? Must be strange, having your first concert at the same time with 7 years old

By 'years gone past' I really meant all the intake years before about 3 or 4 years ago. For instance, in 2006 the average intake age was 9.8 y/o, in 2008 it was 9.6, and in 2015 it was 8.8. This year all the Miniboys are really young with the youngest, Joseph, being 7. Even if all the others are 8, the average age would work out to 7.9 years old. Like you, I'm happy Libera are taking them earlier - they'll hopefully create a good core for years to come.

The 13 year old was Conor O'Donnell 2005-2007. I actually doubted that age myself, so I did a bit more digging after your question. My Timeline was created originally at least 4 years ago, and since that time facts have changed as more information has come to light.
In Conor's case he appeared in a video with Aled Jones that was broadcasted on 8th March 2005 (thanks to Libera Passion for the actual date) https://libera-passion.exprimetoi.net/t ... bera#27861
Conor was born in May 1992, so that would have made him 12 actually, not 13 as I stated. I generally did a count back if I didn't have their birthdate, which would have made him 13. Mind you, 2 short months later and he did become a teenager.

[Dinedorelle]

I thought somebody mentioned that according to Eleanor Lewis, Simon Lewis was six years old when he joined. I don't know if he sang in a concert that young, but he may have sung at a church service.

That would have been an exceptional case if he had started at six. It's possible though as his mother Eleanor is Libera's voice coach isn't she? I've only hard proof that he appeared in a group photo taken in 1998 when he would have been eight.

[Dinedorelle]

For those that are interested, the chart below is a simple representation of the number of boys plotted against their ages when each started and left the group.
The sample is of 83 boys whose starting and leaving dates are well documented (from the Timeline record between 1984 and 2018).

A good many of the more recent boys can't be included in the chart as they are still members, but Libera are certainly taking boys at a much earlier age than they used to do in years gone past.

Thanks for this. It's very interesting.

Regarding age upon leaving, we should try to identify the year when Angel Voices started adding boys with deeper voices. I think it was about the time they started using the name Libera. Up to that point, boys would automatically leave the choir as soon as their voice changed. That would skew the leaving age much younger during those years. In the years following, it would be more consistent to track when their voices changed instead of when they left the choir because only a select few are needed as Big Boys in the Back.

The section of the Timeline below shows the transition period between Angel Voices and Libera.
I suppose there are all sorts of conclusions that could be gained from it, but I think overall if you take the very well-known members from that period, they stuck with it continuously from start to finish. Stephen Geraghty, Liam O'Kane, Adam Harris and Sam Coates started as sopranos and sung for years eventually ending up in the back row.



There are also those that fell by the wayside at 12 and 13, when their voices changed no doubt, and then were never seen again.

[filiarheni]

A good many of the more recent boys can't be included in the chart as they are still members, but Libera are certainly taking boys at a much earlier age than they used to do in years gone past.

The voice change takes place earlier, so they must see to prolong the time window by advancing the entering age; that's my opinion on that.

[Luckdragon]

The voice change takes place earlier, so they must see to prolong the time window by advancing the entering age; that's my opinion on that.

Also, the extra experience means that choristers are that much better when they reach their peak.

In the USA, voices are changing at around 12.5 these days. That makes it very difficult to maintain a solid core of experienced trebles. They usually try to bring boys in at 7 or 8, but most boys' choirs there are forced to use a lot of deeper voices.

[LordG]

First I wanted to state that good nutrition is to blame for an early entry into puberty.
But after some research I have some doubts...
I came along this article which stated

Once puberty has started, severe living conditions retard progression through puberty. Without these factors, children appear to be returning to a natural blueprint of maturation, moving through the stages without delay, rather than experiencing the changes of puberty at an unnaturally early age.
https://theconversation.com/children-ar ... veal-91095