It's about three years ago since I received the surprising invitation to write a substantial new work for the choir school of Notre-Dame Cathedral (La Maîtrise Notre-Dame de Paris); a setting of the entire Mass text, together with the two extra Motets that would complete a full Mass Service.   Rather incredibly, the far-off, mysterious premiere of that new Mass is now "bearing down like an express train" (although I'm sure it won't be that bad) and takes place in the Cathedra

It was a great choral honour to find out (as usual, by accident) that Peter Phillips was going to include my setting of a Marian antiphon, Ave Regina Caelorum, in a Tallis Scholars evening centred round a Mass by Tomas Luis de Victoria. If I have ever written a Victoria-like piece (in my imagination, dark, impassioned, Spanish) this is it.   I have listened many times to recordings by this legendary group, but I don't think I've ever been to one of their concerts before. It

It's wonderful to report that after their thrilling performance of The Welcome Arrival of Rain at the Barbican last night, Sakari Oramo and the BBC Symphony Orchestra will be playing the piece again next week, on tour in Shanghai and Beijing . (It's probably just as well that I won't be boarding the planes with them, but nice to contemplate from afar, and hopefully sometime on BBC Radio 3.)   My photo shows Warwick Avenue Tube station, gateway to Maida Vale Studios for all