The Vasari Singers, now well established as a much-acclaimed London-based chamber choir, celebrated their 25th Anniversary this year with a concert at St John's Smith Square on 15 May featuring short specially commissioned works by ten notable British composers. As conductor Jeremy Backhouse described to me, a private preview of the works, all on sacred themes, took place at Tonbridge School Chapel in February, in the presence of the composers, thus setting up a ‘dialogue’ on interpretation. Although strictly speaking of amateur status, the choir has achieved much critical success, winning the Sainsbury's Choir of the Year Competition, appearing on BBC Radio 3 and at major venues, and has shown a distinct interest in commissioning new choral works in recent years.