We sang for two charity events before Christmas, one at the Guards Chapel for Macmillan Nurses and another at the House of Lords, on December 14th for the fund-raiser of a wonderful charity called Planting Promise.

After Christmas, through the great generosity of Richard and Victoria Sharp, we were able to fulfil one of my great ambitions, to record the B Minor Mass. Considering the number of other recordings that exist of this, it was a cheeky project. But I felt that, because:

• the Mass is so much a choir piece
• I have always felt that Rods were able to sing what I regard as the version with the definitive sound
• Kay Norrington assured me that the Southern Sinfonia would be able to field their "A" team
• we were fortunate enough to have been asked to perform two B minor masses last summer

So now was the time, if ever.

With the wonderfully efficient, resourceful and kind help of the Lyon family we were able to get over the loud hiccup of the resignation of our manager with only a month's notice. They organised the performance of the Mass on New Year's Eve in Holy Trinity, Guildford. Kay's friends, Helen and Richard Fitzgerald then took over the supervision of the recording sessions in Charterhouse. We secured the services of the best choral producer in the business, Adrian Peacock. Charterhouse Chapel had been organised for us through the very good offices of Mark Shepherd, Charterhouse's Director of Music. The result … Well, all will be able to judge for themselves when Signum bring it out in October this year.

I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to the large number of people who made it possible. Above all, to the greatest genius mankind has known (well, try telling me of a greater), Johann Sebastian Bach.