I'm obviously very keen on the theater and I think it's inevitable that some of the orchestral and chamber pieces have got dramatic elements which might even suggest an unspecified dramatic plot of some kind or other, even though it's not in my mind at the time.

You don't underestimate either players or audience in any circumstances.

I know what I want at least, and the older I get I think I'm better at getting it out of players and singers.

There’s no card, business card, better than a compact disc for a composer. It doesn’t half impress people and they get a long way on it ... these composers they will get more performances, more commissions, more recognition just by having that disc

If you aim at anything lower that is expecting your audience to be really alert and aware, then you're going to be caught out sooner or later as a composer.

I'm not actually teaching any more, but I am writing pieces for schools all the time, and for kids.

An audience shouldn't listen with complacency.