I came to Moscow when I was 5 years old from Baku. To walk all night in Moscow will bring back my youth to me.

I like coming to the United States because the United States played an important role in my life.

I never studied, but I had the best teachers.

In 1948 the first severe crash occurred in my life when Stalin put out his decree on formalism. There was a bulletin board in the Moscow Conservatory. They posted the decree, which said Shostakovichs compositions and Prokofievs were no longer to be played.

Now I want to use money in a good way. I make foundations back home in Russia, I have sponsored vaccinations for more than one million children in my homeland and I have founded scholarships in the names of my great Russian compatriots - Oistrakh, Richter, Gilels, Shostakovich, Prokofiev and Schnittke.

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

Explain to me, please, why in our literature and art so often people absolutely incompetent in this field have the final word.