To the average mind popular music would mean compositions vulgarly conceived and commonplace in their treatment. That is absolutely false.

A band is only as good as its euphonium section.

I still feel the impulse to give young writers a hearing, and I believe I have played more unpublished compositions than any other band leader in the country.

Any composer who is gloriously conscious that he is a composer must believe that he receives his inspiration from a source higher than himself.

To the average mind popular music would mean compositions vulgarly conceived and commonplace in their treatment. That is absolutely false.

The average music-lover hears only the production under prevailing conditions.

From childhood I was passionately fond of music and wanted to be a musician. I have no recollection of any real desire ever to be anything else.