Tony Cummings spoke to instrumentalist ANNIE ROUTLEY who finally gets a front sleeve billing alongside composer Roger Jones

Annie: I practised very hard for this recording - something I've never really done on the viola before, though I do practise the piano regularly. When I'd played the first song in the studio, I took the headphones off and went to listen back with our recording engineer, Chris King. The most wonderful sound filled the room. 'Oooh!' I exclaimed. 'You've enhanced that! Have you puts loads of reverb on it?' 'No Annie,' said Chris. 'That's how you sound.' I was staggered, as when you are playing a musical instrument, it is so close to your head and ear that you can't really appreciate how it sounds yourself."

Tony: What do you think people will get from an album like 'This Is The Place'?

Annie: This is the first purely instrumental album we have produced at CMM. Roger writes some really beautiful ballads, and I've had the privilege of arranging and orchestrating them with live instruments over the years. I thought people would appreciate an album they could listen to in the car or kitchen, and use for Quiet Days or Retreats - or just for relaxation. Many will know the lyrics of the songs and appreciate listening with those in mind, but it's my prayer that even if people don't know Roger's musicals and collections of psalms, hymns and songs, they will still find that this album ministers God's love to them. It's also very unusual to have a solo album that features the viola; so often we are the butt of 'viola jokes' as the Cinderella of the orchestra! The viola has a deeper, more mellow tone than the violin, and I think it is particularly suited for worship.

Tony: What is your favourite track on the album and why?

Annie: I honestly like all of them - that's why I chose them out of the hundreds Roger has written. But I am particularly fond of 'When I see the blood I will pass over you.' I had the idea of arranging it for string octet to get a richer sound - we only had a string quartet, but in the studio you can lay tracks on top of each other. The song comes from Roger's musical 'From Pharaoh To Freedom' and tells the story of God's deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, through the Passover of the Angel of Death, to freedom - and points us ultimately to Jesus, the Lamb of God. The final track, 'Man of Sorrows' is also in 'From Pharaoh to Freedom', and is possibly the finest thing Roger has ever written.

Tony: Do you play much in a live setting?

Annie: On all our conferences, music weeks, seminars and workshops we use music to illustrate the teaching, and we spend time worshipping the Lord, and if I'm not on the piano, I play viola. We also use songs at the end of the talk to minister to people and help them to be open to the Holy Spirit. The viola has a particularly rich and mellow sound that can enhance this.