Aled Jones picks the best from the 2009 Tampere Vocal Festival in Finland and talks to one choral director about how a visit to the city transformed his musical life. Plus news about a new project uniting European choir music and ancient chant of the Syriac church. Playlist: Syrian Chant (excerpt) Yassar Adbar (singer) Private recording Prince Nothing Compares to U Klangbezirk Recording from the Tampere Vocal Music Festival (3-7 June 2009) Pierre de la Rue Sanctus (with Syrian chant elaboration) The Clerks Group, Lena Chamamyan (singer), George Qas-Barsoum (singer), Yassar Adbar (singer), Edward Wickham (conductor) Private recording Plainchant Vox in Rama (with Syrian chant elaboration) The Clerks, Lena Chamamyan (singer), Yassar Adbar (singer), Edward Wickham (conductor) Private recording Giaches de Wert Vox in Rama (with Syrian chant elaboration) The Clerks Group, George Qas-Barsoum (singer), Yassar Adbar (singer), Edward Wickham (conductor) Private recording Handel He Shall feed his flock (Messiah) Alice Halstead and Harry Bradford (choristers), Simon Lole (organ) Recorded by the BBC at St Emanuel’s Church, Didsbury Francis Poulenc Chanson àboire Akademiska Sångföreningen Recording from the Tampere Vocal Music Festival Tellu Turkka Enkelit (excerpt) Enkelit, Richard Pomfret (conductor) ENKELIT CD, track 6 Tellu Turkka Jo meistä ero tulevi Slavonic Tractor Recording from the Tampere Vocal Music Festival Richard Rogers I’m gonna wash that man right out my hair MiLadies’ Chorus Recording from the Tampere Vocal Music Festival Ulf Långbacka Tre erotiska sånger Brahe Djäknar, Ulf Långbacka (conductor) Recording from the Tampere Vocal Music Festival Matthew Whittall Sora/Mizu (Sky/Water) Hämäläisen Osakunnan Laulajat Recording from the Tampere Vocal Music Festival Anders Edenroth Big Bad World Shiva Knows Recording from the Tampere Vocal Music Festival Vladimir Dashkevich The Horses Novy Vek Recording from the Tampere Vocal Music Festival Céspedes Convidando está la noche Voz en punto Recording from the Tampere Vocal Music Festival Desmond Take 5 Klangbezirk Recording from the Tampere Vocal Music Festival