Sometimes, I have reasons to remember a concert long after it has passed so that a light touch in the present evokes my memories of years gone by.

One concert that remains vivid in my memory is a performance of Mahler’s 8th Symphony in which I sang as a member of the London Symphony Chorus in 2001 – or thereabouts. We sang in the Birmingham Symphony Hall under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle and alongside the National Youth Orchestra.

It was a special occasion for me because my nephew, Edward Nesbit, was a young composer that year with the National Youth Orchestra, a sign that his early interest in composing held some promise and (I confess) a matter of auntly pride. It was also a pleasure, as always, to have the opportunity to catch up with Paul Keene, who is Director of Programming and Projects at Symphony Hall. I sang under Paul’s baton as a member of the Peterhouse Chapel Choir during my days at Cambridge.

There is another memory that is vivid in my mind from that day. I suspect that other members of the chorus will remember it, too. In the midst of our tutti rehearsal, Sir Simon Rattle asked a member of the orchestra to take his place at the podium so that he could step back and listen to the orchestra. As Rattle walked back into the depths of the hall the young timpanist, Robin Ticciati, took up the baton and conducted. Even as I write I feel the goosebumps that I felt then at the realisation that this was a young man whose bright future was already visible – something to be nurtured and celebrated.

Times move on. My nephew, Edward, has continued the courageous and uncertain path of a composer and is currently studying at Kings College, London. You can read about him and hear some of his music at www.edwardnesbit.com. And on Thursday 25th March, Robin Ticciati will be making his LSO debut at the Barbican, conducting Sibelius, Lindberg and Grieg.

I’ll be there.