The academic area of new music or modern music festivals is not something which attracts me at all.

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

It makes sense to invest in new work. It's almost like having a research department in a scientific laboratory. You have to try things out. You'll make some bad mistakes. Some things will fail but at least you'll energise the organisation.

Somehow in the 20th Century an idea has developed that music is an activity or skill which is not comprehensible to the man in the street. This is an arrogant assertion and not necessarily a true one.

Writing tonal music now, you are not writing into the 19th Century.

The academic area of new music or modern music festivals is not something which attracts me at all.

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