In fact, the Company owes its existence to a request put to the now Director of Productions 'If I conduct Dido and Aeneas, will you direct it?' He was then Organ Scholar of New College, Oxford. On graduating (a first-class degree without a Bodleian Library ticket) he spent a year with the European Community Baroque Orchestra, and then returned to London to become harpsichordist with the Trio Sonnerie, and freelance player, appearing with the New London Consort and the King's Consort.

After Dido, he then took the Company on a tour through Benjamin Britten's Church parables - Curlew River, The Burning Fiery Furnace, and The Prodigal Son - followed by some of the middle scale 18th-century comedies - Cimarosa's The Secret Marriage, Pergolesi's Lo frate 'nnamorato, Handel's Orlando, and Mozart's Così fan tutte - and ended up by recording theatre music of Charpentier and Rameau.

He will conduct the new production of Handel's Xerxes in 1998. One of his achievements was his own translation of Pergolesi's Lo frate 'namorato, a text which revelled in the puns in which he excels. (What would a rehearsal be without the Cooper puns? For those long involved with NCO they are ignored and wash over one in a gentle passing stream; it is always with surprise that one catches sight of the bemused face of a new Company member).

The Pergolesi translation was difficult to learn and it was with surprise and delight that that year's preview audience were almost hysterical with laughter; one front row guest was nearly sick before the interval.

One of many initiatives put forward by Gary was the founding of The Band of Instruments in 1995. The possibility of having a permanent orchestra had been discussed on and off for many years, partly to clarify the whole operation. It was particularly galling both for Gary and the Company to be asked 'Is the orchestra made up from students?', when not only was it made up of professional instrumentalists costing the Company a large sum of money, but when the band had had a relatively stable line-up ,and had done so for some years.

A request from Michelle McLusky at the Southwark Festival to consider starting an orchestra for a concert there in 1995 spurred the Company on, and the orchestra made its debut there in October 1995, accompanying Monica Huggett. Their first recording was accompanying the Choir of New College on an disc of Purcell anthems for CRD; look out for this release in the coming year.