Libera Dreams

As we know, in the UK the unchanged treble voice is appreciated.

But in the US, it seems that it is unacceptable for a boy to sing soprano.

This happens in many school choirs. Boys MUST sing tenor when they get to high school, although many boys do not have changed voices, therefor forcing their voices down. NOT healthy.

When trying out for the regional choirs, the guys have to sing either tenor 1 tenor 2 bass 1 or bass 2. Many of the guys just don't have changed voices yet or naturally have alto voices, automatically putting them at a disadvantage.

for example, In our chamber choir, we have a guy singing tenor, who is actually more like a 2nd treble or alto! he struggles to get low notes, but he sounds so good on alto and soprano 2 parts. He is in grade 10 and going to be 16 next month and still has a treble voice. If he lived in London and sang with Libera, he'd still be going strong at treble. He can sing Libera's Ave Maria and Air. haha he wishes that he could join the choir.

when I was telling him about Libera he said, "so they would actually appreciate my voice??"

sad to think he feels unappreciated in our choir.

So what are your views on UK choir vs US choir? if you are in a choir in the UK or the US please share your views/experiences with this.

I think it's sad that my own country frowns on treble. Treble voices are just so pure and resonating. Then again what do most Americans know, we made William Han(sp?) famous for heavens sake. I personally fell victim, and still am victim of that to this day. My school was all about a guy being a big macho BASS!! My voice was always strongest in the alto 2 to tenor 2 or baritone ranges, but i forced myself to be a Bass 1 causing me to lose a lot of my natural vocal talent.

BUT what is good is that Treble Choirs do exist in the US(and i feel dumb because i'm JUST discovering them NOW!) so maybe in time this view will change in the US. Meanwhile those of us in the US who appreciate trebles should start and continue advocating for treble voices and making boys with treble voices feel honored to possess that natural quality. In this way I have complete respect for the UK in their appreciation of trebles because they see the absolute beauty in a treble boys voice. NOTHING AGAINST GIRLS I SWEAR! it's just for some reason a lot of treble boys sound more pure than their female counter parts, albeit there are some young girls who have absolutely GORGEOUS voices for their age, but again there is just something special about a treble male voice.

I wish I had lived in the UK at the time i started school singing, i just may have been a MUCH better singer than I am today.

Great posts but don't get too carried away about how wonderful the UK is for boys choirs.....LIBERA ARE VIRTUALLY UNKNOWN HERE IN THE UK AND CHOIR MUSIC IS NOT IN FASHION.

Sorry to shout but things ain't great over here. There is a small 'middle class' tradition of appreciating the music but it really is a minority. More and more choirs are starting to be mixed groups because they struggle to get boys to sing.

The average person in the UK (kids and adults) has the same attitude to boys singing treble that many have in the States. Perhaps there are more opportunities/outlets in the UK but it is just a tiny part of the population. A boy at an ordinary school who liked to sing would get the same treatment in the UK as he would in the States - I don't know it for a fact but I suspect it is true.

I don't like it but those of us who love this music, where ever we are in the world, are the few in the know. To put it in perspective, I tell nobody that I like this music or that of choirs in general because it will attract unwelcome attention

The US, like most nations, isn't just one monolithic homogeneous culture, either. Attitudes can and do vary somewhat from place to place.

Around me (in Vermont), the arts are held in reasonably high esteem, generally speaking, and singing in the school choir is certainly not social suicide. I think a fair few school choirs place some young men in the alto section, depending of course on their voices; certainly that would be true for most middle school choirs. I don't know if the district music festivals (and all-States, all-New-Englands, etc.) permit guys to try out as anything other than tenors or basses (or gals to try out as other than altos or sopranos).

I was--and, I guess, still am--more of a band and math nerd than a choir nerd. Definitely nerdy, at any rate.

Its kind of sad that people have such a negative view when it comes to boys choir singing. People should be encouraged to follow their passion in life and its sad that this can be discouraged because of the actions and opinions of others. They should be encouraged to be a soprano, bass, tremble, or whatever they wish. It probably does happen, but I do hope none of the Libera boys are really affected by this, at least not to such a hurtful degree.I found it surprising that Libera was considered an unknown in the U.K.

Unfortunatley, in our sports oriented society, music and the arts will never be appreciated by the masses, no matter what country it is. And a boy showing interest in the arts instead of sports, well, for most parents, that would be the worst thing possible. Just look at how many millions will be watching a stupid football game this coming Sunday but will run to the bathroom during halftime when The Who take the stage. I would rather see a whole Who concert then suffer through even 1/4 of a football game. I sincerely hate that sport.

TEB wrote:Unfortunatley, in our sports oriented society, music and the arts will never be appreciated by the masses, no matter what country it is. And a boy showing interest in the arts instead of sports, well, for most parents, that would be the worst thing possible. Just look at how many millions will be watching a stupid football game this coming Sunday but will run to the bathroom during halftime when The Who take the stage. I would rather see a whole Who concert then suffer through even 1/4 of a football game. I sincerely hate that sport.

Ooohhh, is it Superbowl weekend - how did I miss that fact?

Yorkie wrote:

TEB wrote:Unfortunatley, in our sports oriented society, music and the arts will never be appreciated by the masses, no matter what country it is. And a boy showing interest in the arts instead of sports, well, for most parents, that would be the worst thing possible. Just look at how many millions will be watching a stupid football game this coming Sunday but will run to the bathroom during halftime when The Who take the stage. I would rather see a whole Who concert then suffer through even 1/4 of a football game. I sincerely hate that sport.

Ooohhh, is it Superbowl weekend - how did I miss that fact?

Well the only reason I know about it was I was invited to a party, which I will go to just for the food and the halftime show. Plus, I just bought a pint of whiskey to take along to help numb the pain of watching football.

hahaha thats the way to do it TEB

DrewE wrote:The US, like most nations, isn't just one monolithic homogeneous culture, either. Attitudes can and do vary somewhat from place to place.

100% agree, it is sometimes over simplistic to generalise, especially with a country as big as the USA. But, sadly and much that we would wish it were otherwise, most people in the US/UK (world?) don't think much to choirs or Libera 'style' music and view those of us who do as odd.

It's even worse for me because I have no religious leanings at all - if I was a regular church goer it would at least offer an explanation for my 'perverted' music tastes

jesuspeace34 wrote:I found it surprising that Libera was considered an unknown in the U.K.

Yep, choirs are just not mainstream over here. The UK is not a religious country - very few of us attend church, <5% I think. Although most people would claim to be Church of England we have nothing like the fervour that seems to surround religion in the States

TEB wrote:Well the only reason I know about it was I was invited to a party, which I will go to just for the food and the halftime show. Plus, I just bought a pint of whiskey to take along to help numb the pain of watching football.

Is that real whisky (note whiskey is Irish and whisky is real scotch) or some cheap knock off brand

I'm partial to a wee dram myself big man

Yorkie wrote:

TEB wrote:Well the only reason I know about it was I was invited to a party, which I will go to just for the food and the halftime show. Plus, I just bought a pint of whiskey to take along to help numb the pain of watching football.

Is that real whisky (note whisky is Irish and whisky is real scotch) or some cheap knock off brand

I'm partial to a wee dram myself big man

I bought Windsor Canadian. I am partial to Seagram's Seven but the Windsor stuff is ok too.

TEB wrote:Is that real whisky (note whisky is Irish and whisky is real scotch) or some cheap knock off brand

I'm partial to a wee dram myself big man

I bought Windsor Canadian. I am partial to Seagram's Seven but the Windsor stuff is ok too.[/quote]

OOOPPPSSS - that should read (note whiskEy is Irish and whisky is real scotch).

The Scots are very touchy about adding the 'e' to their water of life.

Yorkie wrote:
It's even worse for me because I have no religious leanings at all - if I was a regular church goer it would at least offer an explanation for my 'perverted' music tastes

For once I can agree with you considering I have no religious affiliation either so it is thought weird that I am so into Libera who stems from a church choir -_-