“New music has always been at the heart of my work with the Girls’ Choir—I love the fact that they will often ask if a composer is going to be there at the service, assuming that most of what we sing is by living composers. I think it’s so important that young musicians are exposed to music by living composers as early as possible so that they realise they are part of a living, breathing tradition. As I was planning the music that we would record I was working with Kristina on a couple of different projects—an organ piece and a choral piece—so I was really keen for her to write a piece for the girls. We dreamt this up over tapas in central London and she sent me the score a week later, just before a Girls’ Choir rehearsal. We learnt it straight away, and it was a really magical feeling to watch the choristers’ faces light up as they brought the music to life for the first time. Several of the girls immediately said it was their favourite piece, and they all have the biggest smiles on their faces when they sing it—I think that is partly because they know it is written for them. It was wonderful to introduce them all to Kristina in person during the recording sessions.”