Bio
O!Boy? – like an exclamation of surprise: What is this song?
O!Boy! – as an exclamation of joy: What good vibrations!
Oooo!Boy – like a sigh of well-being …
O!Boy … they are four men singing, a cappella, love, life and the pleasure of being in the world. They invite you to travel, in the colors of the barbershop, a joyful and romantic style, from the USA at the beginning of the 20th century.
At the beginning there is François who simply wants to sing. He hesitates between: integrate a choir dedicated to the repertoire of Bach or, why not, try this old style heard in his childhood, these tunes joyful and full of humor that sang his cousin Joel and his acolytes …
After two years of beginnings, explorations and wanderings, O!Boy finds his “dream team” where personalities and stamps mingle with perfection. It is the end of 2015. David, Leander, Emmanuel and François go to the discovery of the repertoire, glean some sheet music on the canvas, buy arrangements from American specialists, sing in the street, sing in the salons, sing in some cultural places, sing and sing again and also embark on the Jeunesses Musicales adventure for the 2017-18 season.
Picture by Zouhir Alami
O!Boy then works with some vocal coaches, one of whom convinces the quartet to try the competition … In March 2017, for his first participation in the field, O! Boy creates the surprise and wins the bronze medal of the 18th national competition of the Dutch barbershop association (Holland Harmony).
Happy and proud of this recognition, the four singers pursue with enthusiasm and ambition their exploration and study of style, invited by the famous Barbershop Harmony Society to take part in the annual Harmony University, held in Nashville – Tennessee, summer 2018.
In march 2019, the four win 2 Gold Medals during the Holland Harmony Convention: best male quartet and best male choir, thanks to their joining Momentum Chorus.
References
They trusted us: Centre Culturel de Namur, Nuit de Chœurs des Villers-la-Ville, Foyer – Centre Culturel de Perwez, Jeunesses Musicales, Plaisirs d’Hiver, Gaume Jazz Festival, Tricoterie, Hôpital d’Ixelles, Hôpital Saint-Luc, Marry Me, SceneOff, WssTP, Hôpital Molière-Longchamps, Ferme du Biéreau, Centre Culturel de Hannut, la Fonderie, le Cercle des Voyageurs, le Casino de Liège…
And you?
The Boys
François Lourtie – Lead
Born in 1978, with a degree in communication, he is a saxophonist, bassist and singer who has been devoted to music for over twenty years. He is involved in a wide range of styles and musical and theatrical projects: from vocal quartets to rock bands, as well as jazz, folk and shows for young audiences. He is currently developing interdisciplinary and educational projects, notably as part of the PECA programme for ‘Artistic Encounters in the Classroom’ and in collaboration with the non-profit organisation Mouvance.
Leander Moens – Tenor
Born in 1992, singer and musician. Graduated in jazz singing from the Brussels Conservatoire under David Linx. Leander performs on stage as part of various musical projects, ranging from jazz to barbershop, including contemporary music and singer-songwriting (O!Boy, Nelja, Who’s Lynda, Brussels Vocal Project, The Scat Pack…) In addition to his stage work, he also teaches singing, choral singing and close harmony at the music academies in Dendermonde and Woluwe-Saint-Pierre.
Emmanuel Donnet – Baritone
Born in 1976, he is a singer and keyboardist, songwriter and composer, psychologist and therapist. Involved in various cultural and community projects, Emmanuel devotes a significant part of his time to music: O!Boy, vocal improvisation, his solo project (nanabi no kitsune) and collaborations. He continues to explore how consciousness and music intertwine in shaping our relationship with reality.
David Serraz – Bass
Born in 1976, actor and singer. After studying music and then drama at the Toulouse Conservatoire, he spent 10 years working with various theatre companies in Toulouse and Bordeaux. David then moved to Brussels to train in art therapy and continue his acting career, whilst also running theatre workshops. After many years in various vocal ensembles, he finally joined O!Boy whilst continuing to develop his acting career, working mainly in theatre for young audiences. He is also active in the field of improvisational theatre, with two professional shows to his name.
