My favourite choral work to perform is: usually whatever we're working on at the moment. I've just conducted Handel's Ode to St Cecilia and Charpentier's Te Deum in a concert with a brilliant baroque orchestra. Now my group Igitur Nos is dipping into old and new favourites for our lunchtime Christmas concert at the National Portrait Gallery on Wednesday, December 17. I'm also looking forward to presenting Bach's St John Passion next year around Easter.

I'm passionate about sacred choral music because: of the way that it offers such a rich depth of inner nourishment and meaning to people, regardless of any particular beliefs. Performing music in the context for which it was written also adds so much to our understanding and experience of it. Last year I was lucky enough to be part of a choir in residence at York Minster (Britain), where we sang a traditional service of Choral Evensong every day of the week, and three Sunday services. It was heavenly.

Igitur Nos is: an auditioned chamber choir formed in 2003 to perform beautiful sacred works, starting as a group of just eight and growing to about 25 now. As well as local performances, we've sung live on radio, toured interstate, and won prizes at the National Eisteddfod.

My most treasured music archival discovery was: I once found a handwritten note in the library's manuscripts collection from my favourite composer Ralph Vaughan Williams to the Australian conductor Fritz Hart. It simply reads "Dear Fritz, delighted to see you Tuesday, come early afternoon and stay for tea, RVW." How wonderful it would have been to join them!

The biggest challenge in conducting is: shaping the vision of a strong, blended, beautiful, "together" sound at all times. This is also the greatest reward.

The best part about being a church music director is: the sheer breadth and variety of music we sing - there is never a dull moment. The St Paul's Choir rehearses every Thursday afternoon and sings every Sunday at 10am. We also sing Choral Evensong once a month, and the ever-popular Carols in Manuka services in December.

Igitur Nos is performing a free concert at the National Portrait Gallery on December 17 at 12.30pm.