Christmas comes with Libera

Just got my first Christmas CD for this year and it is The Christmas Album by Libera. Remember Libera? The boy choir was here three years ago and they brought tears to the eyes of their Pinoy audience when they sang a stirring Bayan Ko. This is their very first Christmas album and it sounds heavenly. I have been listening to it every morning to put myself in a kinder, calmer, happier frame of mind throughout the day. And it works wonderfully!

I know I stand accused and I am guilty of trying to hurry up Christmas but I am certainly not alone in this. Don’t you feel that nippy air during early mornings? Check out the malls where the Christmas finery is now in full display and where carols are played continuously. As always, no economic woes or bad weather or anything else can keep Filipinos from getting into the festive mode in anticipation of the Christmas Season.

Of course, nothing revives the Christmas spirit better than music. More so when sung by young kids that sound like Libera does. So I have a feeling that the arrival of Libera within the next few weeks will fully herald the beginning of this year’s Christmas celebration. That is true. Libera is coming back to Manila. The world-renowned group from the UK will be in town for a performance at the Plenary Hall of the Philippine International Convention Center on Oct. 25.

The show is titled Libera, The Christmas Concert of the Year and that means that those angelic voices will be singing songs from The Christmas Album. This is a real treat. I love the CD as it has some of the oldest and most beautiful carols ever written. Missed the No. 1 staple Silent Night and The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire), that seems to get more and more popular every year, but the album still offers a lot of great Christmas songs.

We have all heard these carols before but it is Libera that makes them special. The choir’s unique sound of innocence is believed to come from the simplicity of arrangements and the combination of the voices of boys as young as seven years old. Founder and director Robert Prizeman is actually, much admired for his ability to tap singers who will sound good together though they come from various parts of the UK and from all walks of life. The oldest is usually 16 years old. After that it is goodbye Libera.

Make sure that you listen to The Christmas Album. This is a must if you have heard them before. Then if you have not heard their earlier big sellers like Peace and Eternal, this CD is a very good introduction to the group. Included are Joy To The World, Carol Of The Bells, Veni Veni Emmanuel, Once In Royal David’s City, O Holy Night, White Christmas, Corpus Christi Carol, In Dulci Jubilo, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, Coventry Carol, The First Nowell, While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks and a rarely heard song by Billy Joel, the sweet Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel).

The new compositions included are Still, Still, Still by Mack Wilberg and Prizeman; Sing The Story and Jubilate Deo, both composed by Prizeman, who also directs and conducts Libera and who co-produced the album with Ian Tilley. Prizeman founded the choir in 1984 and he later named it Libera after his composition of the same title, which was the group’s first big hit.

Aside from Christmas, the Libera concert is in celebration of the PHL-UK Friendship Week in cooperation with the British Embassy Manila, the British Chamber of Commerce Philippines, The British Council and EMI and Polyeast Records. Proceeds will benefit the British Alumni Association’s (BAA) Foundation for Disadvantaged Children and the Children’s Hour. Tickets are priced at P7,000, P5,000, P4,000, P2,500, P2,000 and P1,000.

Libera will be flying next to Cebu to do one show for the Arts Council of Cebu at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel on Oct. 28. Album buyers at both events will get the chance to meet and greet the members of Libera. The boys will also be at SM The Block in North Edsa at 4 p.m. on Oct. 23 and at SM City Cebu on Oct. 27 to meet fans and sign autographs.