Of course, all people have their own reasons for believing what they do about gender. In my case, in over two decades of collaborating with men and women in music - conductors or otherwise - I have seen no distinction.

A critic can serve as guide. I think there's an understanding amongst the public that critics have their own preferences and dislikes.

Part of what makes music so interesting is the lack of consensus on just about any given topic.

I don't think performance out of duty yields very much. Coercion is never the way to go.

I do believe young people should be obligated to try different types of music - that is what education is. But once you're in a situation as an adult, it doesn't benefit anybody - at least in my experience - to force music on people that they don't like or do not have an interest in - whether it's three-hundred years old or newly written.

The work of Liszt I most admire is the music he wrote toward the end of his life. This is often music of tremendous inventiveness. The music seems to be seeking something. It tends to be restless, unpredictable, often very sad.

The best critics leave the reader curious to pursue something further, but still to let the reader have his or her own honest, unique opinion.