One of my interests in music has always been what it means, why it affects us the way it does.

I think from age 13, 14, 15, I thought, yes, this rich studio produced music is the future, but it can't be the future to go run away into the recording studio. How can we take that kind of complexity and richness and make it possible for people to touch it and play it live. That's what hyperinstruments are.

The one obvious thing is that the devices are so good now that you can also see their limitations extremely well.

One of my interests in music has always been what it means, why it affects us the way it does.

I did take composition lessons when I was in high school, so I wrote piano pieces. I wrote some chamber music. I don't think any of that was particularly interesting.

I row for about 40-45 minutes every morning and put in my iPod and it's a huge range. That's when I listen to either things that I just love and know very well and just want to pay attention, it's also where I listen to things that are new that I want to get to know.

I've done a lot of operas. I've probably done more different kind of operas than anybody.