I've composed all my life and kept things, and even developed things I've done in college into something now.

If it's something that I just can't get anywhere with, even if I think this could be a hit, I just drop it and it doesn't get developed.

I don't think I really started to seriously compose until around that time when I was 40.

I don't have to be a success. I can just try.

I think by the time I finished college I was calling myself a professional because I was, you know. I was making a living playing music.

All of your experience comes into play when you're composing.

I'm not a haiku artist, but I wanted to use the phrase 5, 7, 5 in the melody that flows over time. So the string melody, the first one is five notes, the next one is seven, and then the third one is five.