One only has to imagine Walking in the Air and its haunting melody immediately enters the mind; it is undoubtedly the most memorable part of Howard Blake’s The Snowman, a setting of Raymond Briggs’ delightful story, and a worldwide hit with children and adults alike. The Snowman is just a small part of Howard Blake’s immense output – at the heart of which is melody and colour – which includes The Passion of Mary, a work described as a ‘dramatic oratorio’. Blake’s memorable Piano Concerto was written in 1991 to celebrate the thirtieth birthday of Diana, Princess of Wales.