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Introducing Libera

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2016 1:57 am
by alcesalcesobservator
How do you introduce Libera to friends/family/total strangers?
Which song or video do you show off first?

Re: Introducing Libera

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2016 5:40 am
by chris17
I haven't had a very easy time introducing family and friends (mostly family) to Libera - most of my family is not really into them, although my younger sisters enjoy them. When I attempt to, if I have time to show snippets of a couple videos, I sometimes show one of Libera's cool takes on familiar songs (Joyful Joyful, Ave Maria - Schubert, Wayfaring Stranger, etc.) and one of their best originals (Salva Me, Libera, etc.). Deep Peace is another good one; it's a great song and the music video is well made. Around Christmas time, I would also try to show Carol of the Bells. I usually show people YouTube videos since that's generally the easiest to access - I don't really carry around my music collection. There are others I'd probably show if there were better recordings/music videos, like How Shall I Sing That Majesty, which is one of my favorites.

Re: Introducing Libera

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2016 2:32 pm
by Robolib7
Although I wish that the people in my life enjoyed the same music that I do, I realized many many years ago that my friends and family had different tastes and preferences in music. If I had the chance to attend a Libera performance, I would probably be going alone.

I did include a link to the Song of Life video with a congratulatory message to some younger friends on the birth of their first son a few years ago and I have played the Carol of the Bells video for both friends and family members on a couple of occasions.

Re: Introducing Libera

Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2016 9:57 pm
by paul
I introduced my family to the more mainstream Christmas repertoire, such as Carol of the bells and other more commonly know tracks from their Christmas album. Followed by other pieces based on classical compositions.

My first exposure to Libera, was Songs of praise, and I did not give it much attention. I revisited their work a couple of years later, after stumbling across YouTube videos. later in the year, an advert in a national newspaper caught my eye and I attended my first concert at St Georges in 2010, and I've been a fan ever since.

Maybe it would be different for others, but I would for sure play their more mainstream material, and not the more Libera like RP compositions, because they may not get their deserved attention.

Its also down to personal taste, and Libera would not be for everyone.

Paul :)

Re: Introducing Libera

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 1:16 am
by hiskeys
I think it depends on the person. If I have a pretty good feeling that they would like them anyway, it doesn't hurt to give a CD, like The Best of Libera, or Peace (or perhaps Luminosa if they like classical). I try to have a couple extra CDs on hand for gifts or rewards for people at church.

Otherwise, I share a song once in a while on Facebook, depending on the conversation/holiday, etc. For example, I might share Going Home or Rest in Peace for someone with a loss. Or I might post the recent Danny Boy video from Guildford in December ( since it's St. Patrick's next week.

A DVD is nice to give also; it gives people a fuller idea of who they are and their personalities. I like the Washington DC one, and the Leiden 2007 one (I don't believe that one's available any more, but the entire video is online.)

Re: Introducing Libera

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 10:48 pm
by enjaysea
paul wrote:
Maybe it would be different for others, but I would for sure play their more mainstream material, and not the more Libera like RP compositions, because they may not get their deserved attention.

I wanted to show my movie "Libera Wrap Party" to the family, so I needed for them to understand who they were first. I showed them the WWI Songs of Praise segment, followed by one of their more rousing performances of "How Shall I Sing that Majesty".

A couple months later, I dragged them to Chicago to see a live concert. My son-in-law told me during the interval that he was following along in the program and found that the songs he liked the best were those written by RP. So you never know what will people will like.

Gloria had a rather strong reaction. My sister found her in the ladies room at the interval, crying her eyes out. She was so moved by the performance. And she was in tears again after the show.

At least I no longer have to search for the right words to describe them to my family.

Re: Introducing Libera

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2016 6:53 pm
by Amie_Hill
For people who've expressed an interest in knowing more about Libera, and for whom the Libera Historical Timeline is TMI, I've put together a "Libera Sampler" word document, which contains; a brief history/description of the group (with photos); a selection of videoed songs from various stages/eras, including RP compositions (e.g "Stay With Me"); his arrangements of classical pieces (e.g."Gloria,"); most appealing videos (e.g. "Going Home"); non-religious pieces (e.g. "Orinoco Flow"); best TV appearances ("Carol of the Bells" on TONIGHT show); a link to the 2009 Songs of Praise special, and, at the very end, a link to the Timeline.

All this gives people a chance to explore on their own, and no other explanations needed.

Re: Introducing Libera

Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2016 9:47 pm
by alcesalcesobservator
Amie_Hill wrote:For people who've expressed an interest in knowing more about Libera, and for whom the Libera Historical Timeline is TMI, I've put together a "Libera Sampler" word document, which contains; a brief history/description of the group (with photos); a selection of videoed songs from various stages/eras, including RP compositions (e.g "Stay With Me"); his arrangements of classical pieces (e.g."Gloria,"); most appealing videos (e.g. "Going Home"); non-religious pieces (e.g. "Orinoco Flow"); best TV appearances ("Carol of the Bells" on TONIGHT show); a link to the 2009 Songs of Praise special, and, at the very end, a link to the Timeline.

All this gives people a chance to explore on their own, and no other explanations needed.
That's a great idea, Amie! You should share it with the rest of us sometime. :wink:

Re: Introducing Libera

Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 1:14 am
by Surpinto
alcesalcesobservator wrote:
Amie_Hill wrote:For people who've expressed an interest in knowing more about Libera, and for whom the Libera Historical Timeline is TMI, I've put together a "Libera Sampler" word document, which contains; a brief history/description of the group (with photos); a selection of videoed songs from various stages/eras, including RP compositions (e.g "Stay With Me"); his arrangements of classical pieces (e.g."Gloria,"); most appealing videos (e.g. "Going Home"); non-religious pieces (e.g. "Orinoco Flow"); best TV appearances ("Carol of the Bells" on TONIGHT show); a link to the 2009 Songs of Praise special, and, at the very end, a link to the Timeline.

All this gives people a chance to explore on their own, and no other explanations needed.
That's a great idea, Amie! You should share it with the rest of us sometime. :wink:
Second! :)

Re: Introducing Libera

Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2016 6:15 pm
by Amie_Hill
Happy to share by email (email@removed). Since it's a word doc., no way to link to it here.

Re: Introducing Libera

Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2016 9:15 am
by Surpinto
Amie_Hill wrote:Happy to share by email (email@removed). Since it's a word doc., no way to link to it here.
Actually, you can totally link it here. Hit reply on this post and then below where the submit and preview buttons are is the option to add "attachments". Just add your document as an attachment. :D

Re: Introducing Libera

Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2016 6:32 pm
by Amie_Hill
Since I can't get the attachment thing to work, if you'd like the "Libera Sampler," you might want to send me a private message containing your email (I promise not to spam you), and I'll email you the attachment.

Re: Introducing Libera

Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2017 5:33 am
by hiskeys
Once again, there might be a better spot to post this, but just in case some of you hadn't come across this - a Libera summary from 2013, listing their CDs, tours, background, etc. Kind of interesting.

http://docs.google.com/document/d/1TQ2S ... VeZak/edit

Cheers!

Re: Introducing Libera

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2018 5:29 pm
by maartendas
Today I wore my Libera hoodie to work - I tutor high school kids. One of them kept looking intently at the picture of the two hooded choristers, so I asked if he was wondering what it represented and explained it's a boys choir I really like. He seemed very interested. I said it's boys of his age and younger who can sing really high and very beautifully. He then told me he used to sing in a choir before he started the tutoring class last year. I was a bit sad to hear that he had given up his choir for the tutoring but he told me it had helped him pass his first year in high school, so that was good. I said he can always pick up singing again when he has more time and feels like it. (He also plays the piano, so he is still active in music). He wanted to know the name of the choir and I made sure to encourage him to look up Libera on Youtube. So who knows where this might lead, at least I made a young person curious :)

Re: Introducing Libera

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2018 10:58 pm
by Surpinto
maartendas wrote: <span title="Fri Sep 21, 2018 5:29 pm">5 years ago</span> Today I wore my Libera hoodie to work - I tutor high school kids. One of them kept looking intently at the picture of the two hooded choristers, so I asked if he was wondering what it represented and explained it's a boys choir I really like. He seemed very interested. I said it's boys of his age and younger who can sing really high and very beautifully. He then told me he used to sing in a choir before he started the tutoring class last year. I was a bit sad to hear that he had given up his choir for the tutoring but he told me it had helped him pass his first year in high school, so that was good. I said he can always pick up singing again when he has more time and feels like it. (He also plays the piano, so he is still active in music). He wanted to know the name of the choir and I made sure to encourage him to look up Libera on Youtube. So who knows where this might lead, at least I made a young person curious :)
Cool! Let us know if you have got him hooked. :lol: