The Royal Festival Hall in London is nice; people hang out there. I think this inviting, non-exclusive character is very important.

I was starting a group of musicians and we had a group of young composers in Finland back in the '70s, and the real conductors, the professional conductors at the time were not interested in our stuff.

When an artist works today or whenever, it's not about creating immortal masterpieces, because that's the one thing we don't decide ourselves.

Once you get over the first hill, there is always a new, higher one lurking, of course.

Our audience, it has been a more difficult process for classical music audiences around the world, and I'm not completely certain why.

Conducting was just something that happened by fluke.

I'm composing more than before. I'm cutting down on conducting.