The Tallis Scholars are known for their signature sound. What constitutes that?

P: You want that disciplined sound to be preserved at all costs. Tuning and blending are the basics of that. Then it's really about knowing the music well and interpreting it with a sense of commitment to the audience in front of us.

E: It is also very important to portray the texts clearly to the listeners. We sing works by composers, such as Nico Muhly, who use poetry sensitively in their music. Giving the audience a taste of what we feel when we sing is part of our job.

R: Communication is the key. As singers, we communicate with the audience and with Peter, but it is also done within ourselves in the group as we perform. It really gives life to the music, especially with certain pieces we have performed together many times over the years and know extremely well.

P: Yes, exactly. We always stand in a semi-circle formation and never in two rows. It's crucial for us to be able to see and react to each other. We also keep a very consistent line-up of singers, and we always have two singers on a part. The duo gets very used to singing together and it's all about teamwork.