There's so much energy exchange [in conduction], so you get back a lot, of course, but you also have to give a lot. It's kind of high-energy thing.

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

I like this idea of identification with the local team. I think it's great. That's what an orchestra should be. It's an orchestra for its hometown, and it serves the people.

I feel very free and very happy to be a composer.

I think if you would like to describe composing as an act with one word, "slow" would be the word.

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.

If I were in a position to announce a public competition to coin a new word, I would do so right now.