My music wouldn't sound the way it does if I hadn't had the experience of conducting.

Los Angeles is just a more open place. The way L.A. functions is that people give you a forum. They say, Show us what you can do.

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

Lots of really interesting people move to U.S and decide to work here, because of this whole attitude and openness. I'm absolutely convinced that this is just the beginning. In a couple decades we will see an even more dramatic change.

I feel that this is my artistic home, and I'm very happy to be a California artist together with many others who are not from here originally but who decided to make this the center of their activities. There's something about that that I find very inspiring and satisfying.

I'm still disturbed if a chord isn't together, but your priorities change as you get older.

The philharmonic became such a journey and adventure in my life, and a deeply satisfying thing.