If you are unfamiliar with Libera, you may wish to go to Part One (link below) of this Timeline for an overview and history of the group, including the story of its beginnings.
Please note: new material is added at the end of each post, rather than at the beginning,
Once again I state that I'm a writer, not a techie, so please forgive the occasional odd configuration, type change, or spacing resulting from imported material. I welcome corrections, suggestions and comments at: aahill@sonic.net
Disclaimer:This ongoing essay-with-videos is strictly an informal history, and, while I've attempted to make it as accurate as possible, some of my sources (or my interpretation of them) may be flawed or inaccurate. If you notice errors that I have made, or facts that were taken from inaccurate sources, please let me know at my email address (above) so that I may make appropriate changes.This piece of writing has not been authorized by, nor is it connected with, the Libera/St. Philip's organization.
Also, since the size of the Timeline makes it impossible to police all video links, some may have ceased to function or be unavailable. In this case, go to your search engine and enter "YouTube" and the name or subject referenced in the link. There will usually be a duplicate video available.
For Part One (introduction to Libera and to the Timeline, extensive overview, & coverage for 1981-2007), please go to: http://liberatimeline.blogspot.com/
A note on source material: For many years, the premiere website/database for information on Libera members, recordings, videos, appearances, tours, etc. was the French site Libera Passion at https://libera-passion.exprimetoi.net/ .
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
• Libera Appears on Songs of Praise, singing "Nearer , My God to Thee," and "One Small Voice."
• Ireland Summer Tour Announced
• Songs of Praise Appearance with "Anima Christi"
• SOUTHWARK CATHEDRAL CONCERT: May 10th, 2025
• Concert Reviews
• Japan Tour Announced for Spring of 2026
• Japanese Film and CD Featuring Libera Announced
Note to new readers: This time of year, public Libera activities generally seem to enter a kind of "winter doldrums," with time given over to learning new material, recording, school requirements, etc. Stay tuned for increasing activity as spring approaches.
On February 10th, Libera posted the following:
Spring Concert Announced
We have announced a spring concert at London’s iconic Southwark Cathedral. We are very much looking forward to our first visit to this wonderful place. We will be performing on 10th May 2025 at 7.30 pm. Ticket availability will be announced as soon as we have details.
Please Note – this is the Anglican Cathedral by London Bridge.
As Patrick FandeLok observed at the time: "[Southwark is] hardly the widest cathedral ever, and the ticket battle will be fierce.
Just three seats across at the front (if retained), then five further back in the nave…So the UK Spring concert will be held in London. The last time it occurred was May 2008, at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.
Also on that date, Mercurial 909 noted:
In the summer of 2023, our now newly graduated Libera choralist Freddie Mushrafi was a guest vocalist in an opera performed up in Bonny Scotland.
He was in the midst of his treble/countertenor range at the time and seems to have been one of only three kids involved. What a thing to have on his CV!
Note: Freddie also performed this role, as one of three little boys who appear at intervals to comment on and advise young lovers Tamino and Pamina, in the actual staged opera production of The Magic Flute in 2023. (See Part 16 of this Timeline.)
On March 1st, this poster appeared:
On March 2nd, the following announcement from Libera:
Libera will be singing a hymn on Songs of Praise next Sunday, 9 March, on the BBC, at 11:30 am UK time. This will be a new recording, filmed at the chapel of Ripon College Cuddesdon, near Oxford. The hymn choice has yet to be announced.
This would be the group's first appearance on the long-running TV show, on which they were frequent guests from the 1990s through the 2010s.
On March 15th, Libera and Songs of Praise posted videos of the group singing "One Small Voice," with Julian Heitmann, Joseph Hill, Benjamin Hill and Morgan Wiltshire soloing. On the 16th, following the SOP broadcast, a Youtube video became available.
First row: Zach Lockett, Ed Day, Jonathan Barrington, Sam Leggett, Josh Madine*. Second row: Michael Vereyken, James Vereyken, Joe Sanders-Wilde, Michael Horncastle*, Tom Cully, Conor O'Donnell, Callum Payne, Jake Shortall, Samir Abouelfeid, Joe Platt. Third row: George Tarleton?, Anthony Chadney?, Sam Coates*, Ben Crawley*, Steven Geraghty*, Raoul Neumann* (* = Still actively involved with Libera)
On April 18th, Libera posted an official announcement:
Summer Tour 2025 Announced
We have announced a tour for the summer of 2025. We will be visiting Ireland from 25th July to 3rd August. We are still confirming final concert details but we can share that we will be visiting Cork, Kilkenny and County Dublin, with a possible further location under discussion.
We will publish exact dates and venues shortly, along with ticket details.
On April 19th, fan luckdragon posted a complete listing of Libera's soundtrack credits, for films, TV movies, video games, etc.
Libera's IMDB credits...
2025-04-19_05-33-00.png (275.63 KiB) Viewed 28 times
We hope everyone is having a wonderful Easter weekend Over the break we all spent a week together on Libera Boot Camp!
As well as singing together and workshopping lots of new music, we also made great use of our free time, and had so much fun.
We're looking ahead to the summer term and are almost ready for our concert at Southwark Cathedral on Sat 10th May, as well as a brand new summer tour to Ireland which will include visiting Cork, Kilkenny and County Dublin (full details coming soon).
On April 22nd, Libera appeared on the BBC's Songs of Praise, singing "Anima Christi," as a tribute to the recently deceased Pope Francis. Soloists were Joseph Hill and Pietro Vergani.
On May 11th, a review by Patrick (Libera "handle") fan_de_LoK):
1 Jubilate "Jubilate" was used as an introduction for the boys to enter the stage, five walking from the far center stage (Morgan Wiltshire, Hal Avery, Joseph Hill, Lewis Pearson, Cory Agyei) and two from each side, Julian Heitmann and Oscar James from the left. Federico Vergani and Edward Sargeant from the right), then everyone else came onstage. "Jubilate" quickly merged into "Libera." The merging went very smoothly. ㅤ
2 Libera Solos on the English lines by Morgan Wiltshire and Pietro Vergani together. Final high notes by Pietro ㅤ
3 Sanctus High notes by brothers Ben and Joseph Hill. Usual stage arrangement—a large arc all across the stage. ㅤ
Speech 1 Welcome from Casper Duncan-Windley and Samuel Whaley, introducing the "miniboys" (singers-in-training) and the "bigs" (lower voices).
Samuel Whaley
Casper Duncan-Windley
During the rehearsal, the seven miniboys had been split into a group of four on the left and three on the right, standing on small risers behind the bigs. They were barely visible—even with the risers they didn’t reach above the older boys. Thankfully, a decision was made during the rehearsal to completely change their position and move the miniboys to the front of the choir, on the side steps leading up to the stage. So instead of being hidden for the whole concert, they ended up being very much in view throughout, and they truly rose to the occasion. Despite it being their first concert, they sang with real conviction, and there are certainly some very promising voices among them. Placing them there turned out to be an excellent idea.ㅤ
Miniboys on side steps at left, including a sleepy Aubrey Gummer. and Oscar Dixon-Wayne
4 One Small Voice Four at the center: Ben Hill, Joseph Hill, Morgan Wiltshire (who replaced Frederick Howarth here) and Julian Heitman. Short 'Ahhh' intro by Ben and Morgan. Then Julian solo, then Joseph solo. Ending by Ben and Morgan.ㅤ
Joseph Hill
5 Hymn To Beauty
This song was last performed in concert in 2009. A whole-choir song without a specific soloist. A few people around me mentioned they didn’t really enjoy this song. Personally, I found the singing very lovely and pleasant to listen to. That said, I did wonder about the choice to include this rather old-fashioned piece, especially when more modern and engaging material, like some tracks from the Dream album, has yet to be featured in concert. So yes, I did find it interesting, but I’m curious about the reasoning behind its inclusion in this 2025 programme. ㅤ
6 Sea Bird Solo by Joseph Hill. The choir was arranged in four vertical lines behind Joseph, then gradually moved to form a large V, then two lines, like the wings of a white bird, with Joseph as the head. As the altar space used as a stage wasn’t particularly wide, the bird’s "wings" remained as two rows of boys on each side of Joseph. In Japan, where they performed in much larger venues, the wings could be fully extended into a single wide line stretching out on either side of him. ㅤ
Speech 2 Federico Vergani and Cory Agyei, about brothers. During the introduction of the brother pairs, there were four groups: Federico and Pietro Vergani, Cory and Caius Agyei, Ben and Joseph Hill, Caleb and Nathan Slater, and new singers Wilfred and Aubrey Gummer—a small first, as both brothers are miniboys at the same time. And a little thought for Thomas Mushrafi, who this time didn’t get to form his usual duo with his brother Frederick, who was absent from this concert. ㅤ
Below: new miniboy brothers Aubrey and Wilfred Gummer
7 Stabat Mater
Wonderful solo by Thomas Mushrafi on the first verse, then the whole choir on the second. Final verse by Thomas solo. He stood at the centre of the usual two concentric arcs, the first kneeling around him, the second standing behind. A beautiful visual and an excellent performance from Thomas.
Thomas Mushrafi solos on "Stabat Mater."
ㅤ• 8 Deep Peace
The first part was sung by Julian Heitmann, who was then joined by Lewis Pearson. The second part was sung by the whole choir. Fifteen years ago, the song featured two distinct soloists. It was recorded in 2010 on the album Peace, with Stefan Leadbeater singing the first part and James Threadgill the second.
Julian Heitmannㅤ
Lewis Pearson
9 The Lark's Last Song Joseph Hill, at the center of two concentric arcs. A great rendition of the solos by Joseph. ㅤ
10 Do Not Stand At My Grave Fantastic solo by Jerome Collins, front stage center with Ben Hill at his side. Jerome has a deeply moving voice, and Ben supported him beautifully with soaring high harmonies. They were framed by the kneeling choir behind them, offering wordless "ooo" harmonies. This was one of the numerous highlights of the concert.
Jerome Collinsㅤ
Speech 3 Caleb Slater and Edward Sargeant gave a light-hearted speech, mainly about Moose, while also announcing the final song of the first half. It was quite funny, with wordplay around "Moose" and some playful acting between the two of them. ㅤ
Caleb Slater
11 Music Was Born This piece was performed by the full choir, with two solo lines sung by Joseph Hill. The boys were spread out across the stage, under predominantly blue lighting, a fitting choice for a piece based on George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue.
Intermission
12 Mysterium A piece last performed in concert in 2018. This was an outstanding performance by Ben Hill, who carried the whole piece, with a bit of support from Edward Sargeant. It’s been a long time since "Mysterium" was last performed, and giving it to Ben proved a true success. Though still young, he has a voice that’s perfectly suited to the piece, surprisingly powerful for his age.
Benjamin Hill
The performance was beautifully enhanced by blue and red lighting reflecting off the walls while the boys werevin white light. I hope there’ll be some photos, it was truly fantastic, both to hear and to see.
Ben and Edward walked slowly from the back of the stage to the front. At the front, all the others were grouped in two tight clusters, left and right, leaving a space in the middle. As When Ben and Edward reached the centre, level with the others, the two groups closed in and completely absorbed them into the crowd.
Edward Sargeant
The compact group then sang the English part, "Let all mortal flesh keep silence," etc. Towards the end, the two groups moved apart, revealing Ben and Edward who had been hidden in the centre, and they stepped forward to the very front of the stage to end the song. If I had to choose one song to turn into a music video, this would be it in my top three. It’s truly spectacular and an amazing experience to watch and to listen to.ㅤ
13 In Paradisum (Ben Robbins)
This was last performed in concert in 2019.
Pietro Vergani
The solo was sung, first by Pietro Vergani alone, then by Pietro with Theo Wilson. I really love this song, and the boys did a great performance. Hopefully it can remain on the set list for a while.
ㅤ
Oscar James
Speech 4
Leon Clarke and Oscar James spoke about the white robes and Leon guided the demo on demonstration by the group showing how the song "Libera" was split into seven parts.
Leon Clarke
14 If Another superb performance by Jerome Collins, who had already sung this piece at the Christmas concert. He was positioned alone at the centre of two concentric arcs, and his rendition was deeply moving. His voice is truly well-suited to this kind of song. A great success. ㅤ
15 Salva Me Great job from Ben Hill on the high notes, from the center back. ㅤ
16 San Damiano The choir was divided into four groups, with no featured soloist. If there’s one song where Libera’s signature vocal blending truly shines, it’s "San Damiano." Their unified tone and seamless blend are exceptional, and this piece showcases it beautifully. An absolute pleasure to listen to. ㅤ
Speech 5 Speech by Gabriele Marini and Lewis Pearson about the different languages spoken among the boys, based on family backgrounds. It was quite fast, so hopefully no one was missed. Gabriele said he, Federico Vergani, and Pietro Vergani speak Italian. Max Bolton (Colombian) and Thomas Sandoval-Herrera (Ecuadorian) both speak Spanish. Lewis Pearson speaks Slovak, Oscar James Croatian, Leon Clarke Polish, Tadhg Barber Irish, and Julian Heitmann introduced himself as being from Deutschland.
Gabriele Marini
Max Bolton
Thomas Sandoval Herrera
Tadgh Barber
Federico Vergani
17 From A Distance Hal Avery was the soloist, standing centre front. An excellent performance, a worthy successor to Merlin Brouwer, who sang it with Libera for the first time.
Hal Averyㅤ
18 Once Thomas Mushrafi started solo, joined in the second verse byby Edward Sargeant and Joseph Hill as backup. All three stood at center front stage. In the third part they were joined by the full choir.
Thomas Mushrafi
The choreography on this song is quite dynamic, with the boys split into two groups, each facing outward to opposite sides of the stage. They gradually stepped backward, crossing paths without colliding too much, ending up side by side, now facing inward. Later, they crossed again, moving forward to form a wide arc with Thomas, still the soloist, at the far right tip. As the song ended, the arc dissolved back into the two original groups, again facing outward and back-to-back. All returned to their original spots, except Thomas, who rejoined the group on the right instead of returning to centre.
ㅤ
19 Nearer My God It begins with three boys standing at the centre front, Joseph Hill, with Oscar James to his left and Theo Wilson to his right. Joseph sang the first verse solo, then the second as a duet with Oscar, and the third as a trio with Theo. Finally, the full choir joined in. Another very moving and beautifully delivered piece, especially with that opening trio.
Theo Wilson
ㅤSpeech 6
The final speech came from Wilfred Gummer, one of the miniboys. It’s a tradition for the last speech of a concert to be given by one of the youngest, sometimes even a newcomer as tonight. And this choice felt especially fitting. In a funny moment, Wilfred openly suggested that if the audience clapped loudly enough, they might sing an extra song, which made everyone laugh.
Wilfred Gummer
He came across as very enthusiastic and definitely someone to watch as a future highlight of Libera’s concerts. I look forward to hearing him in a solo one day but even now, his personality already shines through. ㅤ
20 I Am The Day Morgan Wiltshire stood center stage for this song, with the others in small groups. Final high-low calls by Ben Hill and Frederick Howarth (who replaces Mitchel Guy here). Very good performance from Morgan.
Morgan Wiltshire solos
21 Veni Sancte Spiritu (encore) Lot of moves on stage. Singing while moving everywhere individually, all stopping at some specific words. They formed two lines facing the audience, then swapped positions by interweaving.
Additional comments by Justin:
Wonderful concert yesterday with plenty of classic and throwback pieces. My personal highlights were "In Paradisum" and "Do Not Stand"—arguably among my favourite Libera songs of all time. Pietro Vergani delivered a near-flawless solo, gliding effortless up to the highest notes of "In Paradisum" with great confidence. He was supported well by Theo Wilson, who provided an added dimension to the sound.
Jerome Collins and Ben Hill paired up nicely for "Do Not Stand," a wistful and emotional piece that tugs at the listener’s heartstrings. The boys seemed to understand the emotional weight of the song and sang their duet beautifully.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention "Stabat Mater," an unexpected but welcome addition to the concert repertoire—and Thomas’s wonderful solo. Thomas is at the peak of his treble powers now, in command of a very strong and resonant voice.
Joseph Hill—how could anyone not like him? He sang well for "Seabird," but I think I really like his midrange now, which was particularly evident in "The Lark’s Last Song." His midrange is resonant, warm and full of character—like liquid gold.
"Deep Peace"—Julian was the main soloist, supported by Lewis Pearson. I enjoyed the song, but would have preferred having both of them alternating for the solo bits.
Last but not least, I enjoyed "San Damiano" greatly. The upbeat tempo and energy of this song got the boys going, and I particularly enjoyed watching one of the mini boys on the right (as yet unnamed but he was standing to the left of Wilfred Gummer) who was swaying along to the music. Great evening all around and congratulations to the boys (and the orchestra) for a job well done!
P.S. Edward Sargeant would do well as a comedian or actor; his comedic timing and line delivery is absolutely impeccable.
On May 14th, an announcement from Libera:
European Tour – Summer 2025
We are pleased to share details of our summer tour.
In an update to our preliminary announcement, we can confirm that we will perform three concerts in Ireland, after which we are delighted to announce that we have been invited to perform our very first concert in Catalonia – at the Montserrat Abbey near Barcelona – following our concerts in Ireland.
The Ireland leg of the tour will comprise concerts at:
St Colman’s Cathedral, Cobh, Cork on Friday 25th July
St Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny on Saturday 26th July
The Lark Theatre, Balbriggan, Dublin on Thursday 31st July
We then travel to Catalonia to participate in the Montserrat Abbey’s Millennium Concert programme. This will be a public, open air concert at 9pm.
Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey, Montserrat near Barcelona on Saturday 2nd August
Tickets for Cobh and Kilkenny will go on sale from Ticketsource on Saturday 17th May at 2.00 pm and 3.00 pm respectively (UK time).
Tickets for the Lark will be available the coming week – we will give a further update with details.
On May 18th, a charmingly enthusiastic and detailed review of the Southwark concert by Filiarheni:
I lack the time to write a full song-by-song review. So I will just make a selection of what stood out for me in particular this time.
First of all, we were immensely lucky to with the sound check rehearsal, because Sam Coates had Libera sing almost each song from A to Z. In other words: We paid once and got two concerts. And it didn't even get boring for a single second that afternoon and evening. Thank you for allowing us to attend the rehearsal! I love those small insights in Libera's work, even if it's just a sort of final fine-tuning, but for me personally, rehearsals are more interesting than the concert itself.
And also, what a programme they presented! Surprise after surpise, a colourful mixture of new, long-time concert and older pieces. Such a wide-ranging set list is definitely appreciated! I'm truly happy that Sam revives old Libera pieces or has them performed live for the first time. Hopefully, he will continue on this way. Suddenly, so much seems possible, and perhaps there even opens a chance for me to hear Secret or Attendite live or, or, or, and - for an ever first time – maybe even Benedictus Deus. They do have the vocal potential, I'm convinced. My fantasy is presently close to going through the ceiling.
There was Stabat Mater.Mysterium. In Paradisum (Ben Robbins). Deep Peace. A touch of Jubilate. Nearer My God to Thee. Do Not Stand. From a Distance. San Damiano. What more could someone ask for?! In my opinion. every Libera concert offers something for everyone. They are always versatile. However, in this concert I especially felt this, given how many older pieces were included.
The concert began with a not too short section of Jubilate, started off by a small group of singers who entered the stage from the choir stalls. By and by, the other boys joined them from the sides, and then Jubilate, instead of singing the expected "Jubilate" refrain, flowed into the "Libera" call of the song Libera. Whether one likes such abbreviated versions or not (teasers can be so mean!), nobody can deny that these two songs formed a most successful match! Because the notes of that "Libera" call are exactly the same at this bit as those "Jubilate" notes which would have been supposed to follow. So the transition couldn't have happened more seamlessly. Libera of course kept silent about this fragment in the printed programme. But also with regards to the lyrics, the preparation to their signature song and, above all, to the concert was the most suitable you can imagine:
Angels holy high and lowly Tell the story of the glory Heaven soaring stars adoring Tell the story of the glory
Hymn to Beauty is a very old song that has never been released on a Libera album. Perhaps on the next one? Its sudden appearance astonished everyone, and although it may not become a favourite of mine, I liked it. With its multi-layered, yet transparent harmonies and a focus rather on tone colours than on a tune, it has something impressionistic to it. It reminded me a little bit of the Luminosa style and also a tiny bit of Once.
In the meantime, I have heard that some did not like the song. Perhaps it needs some time to grow on them? Due to the said harmonic focus, I find a liberaesque quality to it; so Id like to put in a good word for it. While Libera sang it, it felt like a feather drifting in the breeze, weightlessly floating back and forth, up and down, and the soft, filigree harmonies created bright light before my inner eye, sparkling everywhere through the trees. I did enjoy the song.
Seabird is a welcome song to lean back and take things easy. There is not much "happening" in terms of music, it just sounds good and somehow it's a feel-good piece, because it flows on in such a relaxing way. And something light was good here, before a distinctly more serious piece followed ....
I am infinitely grateful that Sam brought Stabat Mater to the light of the stage! It really means a lot to me. Since "Hope" was released, I had hoped (isn't it an appropriate title?) to hear it live one day, and now this wish has become true. Also very hopefully, it will remain in the set list for a while. I still remember how this piece captivated me from its very first notes and how mesmerising the first listen was. Since then, it never lost this initial effect on me. Its melody is most beautiful, an ingenious composition by Robert Prizeman and the arrangement is also very moving and suitable.
Thomas Mushrafi sang the solo and it was a pure dream! The soloist must be able to handle the span of a twelfth (which in this case is D4 to A5'). Thomas mastered it in an outstanding way, with an even timbre throughout. It was top-notch. In the rehearsal, he had been even better, and this is why I'm so thankful for open rehearsals. You can get such gems there, too.
Thomas has a crystal-clear, round and, above all, remarkably smooth voice. And it's exactly this latter quality thatStabat Materwith its many leaps needs. He performed this demanding solo in a highly concentrated way, but at the same time with impressive aplomb. Sometimes the listener gets a bit nervous about upcoming high notes. No need for fear here. All was a homogeneous one. Amazing!
The choir as well fulfilled its part in this emotional, melancholic piece, sensitively amplified by the orchestra. This music draws me so much in, I felt like sighing with Mary all along. Carried me away.
To have the calm Deep Peace follow the sorrowful Stabat Mater was a smart move: The change in mood was not too abrupt, and still there came something soothing and sunny from the song.
Do Not Stand at My Grave and If are both pieces that strongly lean on the soloists' shoulders. And in both cases Jerome Collins was the one - well, the ideal choice. His duet partner in Do Not Stand was Ben Hill, and I had goosebumps throughout. I still feel them even now thinking back to that performance. Do Not Stand is such a super-beautiful piece! And the ever-poignant If gets under the skin anyway. When I sat there in the gallery back then in December 2024 and listened to If, which I had not expected at all, I was mesmerised in awe about the performance there below on stage.
I've been thinking a lot about how to describe Jerome's singing. Probably I'll never be able to really hit it, but here's an attempt: He is still very young, yet he sings with devotion and seems completely at peace with himself. On the one hand, he treats the two songs with the seriousness, if not gravity that their lyrics deserve. On the other hand, there's an incessant calm serenity beaming from him, ressembling a sort of basic sense of trust, and during both songs I caught myself thinking that he must be convinced that in the end everything will be alright.
He is fully present in the music, conveying genuine love for the music as well as genuine understanding of the meaning. He makes the contents believable. And in all of that, his voice flows just naturally. A most astounding talent with the ability to soothe you. His trademark: Whenever his singing starts to intensify, he also holds his voice back in a subtle way at the same time, a contrast that results in a most interesting mixture of tenderness and undeniable strength, which strikes a chord in me. I can't say when or even if at all a soloist ever captivated me in such a way. Honestly, he's someone not to miss; you should hear and see him perform.
Music Was Born and Nearer My God to Thee for me work far better in a live performance than in recordings. I don't care much for Music Was Born on "Dream", because somehow the choir and the music did not form one whole in my ears. In the concerts, the experience is much more complete and the concept of the song suddenly becomes clear. Nearer My God to Thee isn't a favourite of mine either, too much major key, but when you get to hear it in concert just one day after a tour featuring the "Secrets of the Titanic" in Southampton, that's an awesome coincidence!
Docking Jubilate with Libera had reminded me of Mysterium, which had once been serving as an intro linked with another song. However, that had been a disappointment at last, because this haunting piece simply needs its full length for the listener to bathe in the eerie mood and experience a story accompanied by that pleasant spine-tingling. Now Libera has healed it: I finally got to hear a complete version of Mysterium. An exceptionally impressive piece, now may it stay in the set list for long. After the concert, someone told me that the effect increases when using the organ, too. It would be gorgeous to hear that one day, while nevertheless I'm already fine with what we got here.
San Damiano: On a funny note, during the soundcheck, they briefly tried the bongos, and I joked to my neighbour something like "Ah, we're getting San Damiano", but actually I didn't seriously expect it. Thankfully, I was wrong and so amazed, when they later started the song! This is a simple, folk-tune-like, joyful song and was truly gilded by Libera's streaming, splendid singing, such a delight to listen to it that night.
Even though many songs and even more individual aspects, the soloists in particular, would have deserved way more attention, I must finish my song commentary here. Except for The Lark's Last Song, which I just can't make friends with (dear Josh, couldn't you choose a different piece for your beautiful, heartfelt lyrics, anything but Liszt's Liebestraum?), it was, as said earlier, a fabulous, excellently balanced programme.
Apologies to those who remained unmentioned this time. It’s a shame because there was clearly something to to each of them that deserves to be highlighted! All soloists were brilliant and I praise them, in particular, for sustaining those long notes very well. This ability adds so much to the overall enjoyment of a song. Also, Sam (Sam and Liam Connery?) do a most successful job in picking the adequate soloist for a song. They prove it again and again.
Every speech was a highlight on its own, whether it was a simple announcement of a song, introducing the pairs of brothers, explaining history and music, the family backgrounds presented in the respective language or the entry of the secret star of every Libera concert: Moose. Currently, Edward Sargeant is in charge of looking after Moose and the dialogue speech with Caleb Slater was filled with puns like "mooseunderstand", "amoosing", or "moosic". It was hilarious! Edward - another ideal fit - visibly enjoyed his role, all the more when he, later on and from his position within the choir, had to make an amoosing interjection into another boy's speech. Great idea! And did you know that a choir robe's sleeve is a fantastic hiding place for a moose? And why in the world does the spell check underline all those great moose words?!?!?
I have to report that after the concert Moose faced an uncertain fate, which he carried with brave composure, having experienced a similar thing in Moscow 2018: He was abandoned, forgotten on the otherwise empty stage. A Libera fan came to help with love & mercy, carefully picked him up and handed him over to Mathias Montoro. It must have been a very emotional, solemn moment for that fan.
Seven new miniboys are part of Libera now, and there are even two brothers among them! I love it. The older one, Wilfred Gummer, was very committed throughout the concert and also delivered a flawless speech. They were mostly split into two groups of four boys on the left front side of the stage and three on the right side. At one point, there must have been a misunderstanding between the group of four and Liam, and they left the stage, although they were supposed to stay. The next speech was meant to introduce exactly the miniboys - and they were not present. I felt so sorry for them. But things happen.
One of them beamed with pride when experiencing his first applause as a Libera member after the initial song. However, from then on, he remained serious. That's how fast routine rushes in.
Libera seemed especially content in this concert, and I love that. They radiated great commitment and cheerfulness, even without smiling all the time, they just looked pleased. While I don't think that the reason for that was the thought of a short journey home via Tube after the concert, even though this had positively been pointed out in a speech.
Conclusion of the night: I loved the set list, I loved the musical performance of everybody, I loved the speeches. And I loved my own joy of seeing and hearing all of it.
Thank you so, so much, Libera & Co.! —Filiarheni
On May 19th, the summer tour poster appeared:
On May 22nd, Patrick posted on X:
"The Southwark concert programme includes a double hint that almost certainly reveals the title of the 4th song recorded for Songs of Praise in February. The program shows two photos from Libera’s S.O.P. recording at Ripon College chapel. They feature Jerome & Ben in soloist positions not seen in the first 3 videos, strong clue this is video 4, which, per the concert, matches 'Do Not Stand at My Grave.'"
On May 26th, an announcement from Libera and fan Pnut: For those who were wondering where Japan figured in 2025 the answer came in a Libera records email received today.Their next performance in Japan is scheduled for late March to early April 2026. Details will be announced this fall".
Also on May 26th, a CD release announcement from Libera Records in Japan:
A spectacular visual experience, JOURNEY TO LIFE, that can only be experienced at the #MitsubishiMiraikan at the Osaka Kansai Expo. A soundtrack CD of music that colors the magnificent journey through life. To be released on July 23, 2025!
The music was created by Takatsugu Muramatsu, a composer who is active in movies and dramas! More than 100 virtuoso musicians perform magnificently, and the boy soprano unit "LIBERA," with whom the group has worked for many years, sings the main theme, "Hymn to Life!" Please enjoy the experience and excitement of the Mitsubishi Miraikan at your fingertips! Soundtrack CD details https://miraikan-expo2025.com/creators/ (There is a nearly 4-minute video here with a bunch of Libera members giving their opinions of the film)
of the Beach Boys. We first met him when we performed a tribute for him at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2007, and he later appeared on our Songs of Praise TV Special.
Introducing a brand new, evolving playlist: Essence of Libera. Whether you're new to the Libera sound, or know all our music like an old friend, we hope there's something here for you
Hibaya Festival, Japan, 2024
Over the break we all spent a week together on Libera Boot Camp!
To be released on July 23, 2025! 
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