I always knew what I wanted to do and I did it.

I, as a young guy getting out of music school, I didn't like the prospect of spending my life writing music for about 200 people.

I'd say the differences are more interesting than the similarities at this point. Certainly no one would ever mistake my music for Steve's [ Reich].

I've been called a minimalist composer for more than 30 years, and while I've never really agreed with the description, I've gotten used to it.

But the difference between the little pieces and the big pieces - I'm not actually sure which are the little pieces. With some of the big pieces, it's a lot of musical running around, whereas the little pieces, you can say everything you want to say.

If you don't have a basis on which to make the choice, then you don't have a style at all. You have a series of accidents.

It doesn't need to be imagined, it needs to be written down.