In the late summer of 2000 I was first contacted by Helen Porter who was, at the time, Common Ground's Music Animateur. A little while later she told me all about the proposed "Otter" Concert, and that it would effectively be created entirely by people living close to the River Stour. Helen was to provide musical guidance for those writing the music, whilst literary guidance would come from Dorchester-based travel-writer and poet, Paul Hyland.

To me, the notion of composing choral music felt like a bit of a challenge, but the whole thing sounded very interesting and so I said the inevitable "count me in"! There then wasn't a great deal for me to do, not until some lyrics were ready, and until the instrumental ensemble had been established; what the line-up of instruments would be etc.

This "lull" provided me with an ideal breathing-space to update my music-writing software in readiness, and during most of that November and early December my office-cum-music room looked like a construction site, as midi sound modules, interfaces and other gadgets found their place amongst my existing stuff, and wires with bared ends lay all over the carpet. Our tom-cat Barley considered these to be great fun, and I had a hell of a job keeping him away from them!.

In all the surrounding Libraries I saw notices inviting musicians to contact Helen; I would then wonder just what and how many instruments we would ultimately have. When I got home I would mess about with my new music-writing facilities; try out a string-quartet, a brass ensemble and so-on.

However I didn't have to wait long: sometime in December I received an email from Helen which listed all the instruments and their players, together with several sets of lyrics. Helen asked me to choose three sets of lyrics to compose the music for. They were all equally excellent and intriguing, so it really ended up being the old eyes-closed-stick-the-pin-in-something-and-choose-it syndrome.

Fate chose wisely for me; I would be composing for