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.

The establishment in Britain is certainly against the arts and against education. If something doesn't make a profit, it's invalid, and art doesn't make a profit in that sense.

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.

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.

I recently did a piece for the Boston Pops and John Williams, and I hope that it's as well a composed piece as I've ever done for any other medium or occasion.

You can't pander to your audience. You might in the short term, but ultimately you can't hoodwink them, either.