The classical music industry, has been an industry of covers. So we do covers, and if I compare this with the rock and pop side, what is the most exciting event?

Every orchestra I know, every opera house I know, is desperately looking around trying to find new talent, new composing talent, supporting young composers, supporting new ideas, supporting new ways of getting the message across.

With American orchestras, in particular, because they play in such huge halls, getting a true pianissimo is very hard.

Conducting is intensely social. You work with a hundred people every day. You collaborate, you try to focus their thoughts, you try to give them a concept, you try to inspire them, and it's actually exhausting.

Our industry [classic music] has kind of retarded into this kind of endless cover-producing thing, and it's a pity.

The music I turn out these days is the kind of music I want to hear myself.

Pulse as an active means of expression, Stravinsky and Beethoven are the two masters of that.