I would rather have ideas and some difficulties of technique than a perfect technique and no ideas.

You must play for the love of music. Perfect technique is not as important as making music from the heart.

It is my aim, my destination in life to make the cello as beloved an instrument as the violin and piano.

When I started learning the cello, I fell in love with the instrument because it seemed like a voice - my voice.

Capitalism, communism ... it's all garbage.

People are craving this great progress in electronics, going after computers, the Internet, etc. It's a giant progress technologically. But they must have a balance of soul, a balance for human beauty. That means art has an important role.

I never studied, but I had the best teachers.