Minimalism now is a reaction to what came before. It's absolutely of its time. Music moved into the set theory thing, and moved out of it.

I'm not a music lover in the sense that I look for something to have on. I've never had that attitude to music.

People say my music is English. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's not me writing English music, but that English music is becoming more like me.

I always write the pieces I want to write.

I don't have ideas so much as there are things which constantly evolve... there are various threads or layers, if you like, which change.

When I dealt with set theory, I could never make it be the music that I wanted.

I didn't have a record player.