“I’ve started to get used to following impressive people, but Christopher had become something of a legend, directing the CBC for some 38 years.

Inevitably, there were many who had grown into their music under his baton and any newcomer would have to work hard to make an impression.

“The first few years were understandably filled with plenty of ‘Christopher used to do this...’ comments, but one just has to persevere, believing in one’s own musicianship. There was a glimmer of hope, though, after my first pair of Messiahs at Christmas, when a retired former chairman was struck and delighted by my very different approach to such a well-worn work.

“As the years went by, there have been a variety of works which have made a lasting impression, including Britten’s War Requiem and Seven Last Words from the Cross by James MacMillan, though such works are always risky to stage, especially in times of economic depression. Nearly ten years on, I feel we have a really good working relationship together. The choir’s board of management is really professional, despite being entirely voluntary, and has been excellent in helping to develop a range of educational projects which touch on all sorts of aspects of choral singing.

“There is a tension between the musical aspirations of the choir and the financial viability of any project – I suspect there always has been.

‘‘Birmingham audiences can be unpredictable in their attendance and I think things are harder since we have had both Symphony Hall and the Town Hall in potential competition with each other.

‘‘We try to programme a rich variety of works but are well aware that there are relatively few works which can often, (but not always) guarantee a good crowd.

‘‘We know we have to be bold at times and I hope I have contributed some of my own tastes and ideas to that process.”

There is the perennial problem of recruitment to choirs. How is the City of Birmingham Choir doing?

“We’ve had a particularly good success rate in recruiting new members over recent years,” Adrian tells me. Open rehearsals offer a popular way to venture into a rehearsal for the first time without feeling too intimidated and our members are a friendly lot.

Like most choirs, we could do with more tenors and basses – any applications welcome.”

* Adrian Lucas conducts the City of Birmingham Choir and CBSO in Janacek’s Glagolitic Mass and Taras Bulba, and Dvorak’s Te Deum at Symphony Hall on Saturday, November 5 (7.30pm). Details on 0121 780 3333.