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.

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.

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

This conducting thing happened. In 1983 I was sucked into this international career, which was a very scary experience.

I always felt that one day I would have to make the change in my own life, bite the bullet and see what it is to be a composer who conducts rather than the other way around.

Orchestras have become used to the emphasis on the separation of layers, of the ultimate precision and clarity.

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