Maddy, you're performing Carols and Capers in York on Tuesday. Why?

"Carols are an absolutely lovely form of music.I like to celebrate Christmas with this traditional aspect to it, and carols have such fabulous tunes."

Did you go carol singing as a child?

"Yes I did! When I was 13 or 14 we'd go round the houses where I lived in St Albans, but then we discovered it was much better to go round pubs. A young girl singing in bars got a very good reaction."

How do you select your material for your Carol concerts with the Carnival Band?

"When we started, I thought we'd do the usual ones, but the band sent me a tape and I'd never heard half of them! Now we've done five albums, and the last one, Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, was very Middle Eastern, with original songs based on the Three Kings.

"In the past we've even done pantomimes, and they were the best pantomimes in the world because they were the shortest!"

What will you be singing in York?

"It will be our Greatest Christmas Carol hits tour this time. There'll be carols we've done over the years, others we've had to leave out, three Middle Eastern pieces, some well-known ones like Ding Dong Merrily On High and The Sussex Carol, and my favourite carol, Peter Warlock's Bethlehem Down, which is superb...but obscure"

How will you be spending Christmas Day?

"Do you know, I don't know yet. I'm waiting for the kids to tell me their plans."

Maddy Prior and the Carnival Band, Carols and Capers, Grand Opera House, York, Wednesday (3rd), 7.30pm. Tickets: £12.50 to £14.50 on 0870 606 3595.

Updated: 10:16 Friday, November 28, 2003