The virtuoso element in jazz playing, all those very fast runs in the upper extremes, simply doesn't appeal to me. That's why I don't want to make my concerto "virtuosic" in the sense of a technical show-off. I want a beautiful sound and a melodic and lyrical line. I am more interested in the way someone can play musically.

As I had collaborated with visual artists before whether on installations, on performance pieces, in the context of theatre works and as I had taught for a time in art colleges the idea of writing music in response to painting was not alien.

Similarly you can make a transition from one set of instruments to another imperceptibly.

There's another way of making music, by touching the lives and feelings of ordinary people.

I work very fast, keeping the ideas flowing but making sure they come out the way I intended.

Craft is part of the creative process.

I know that John Adams has had a very hard time directing French ensembles.