The art music of the West has developed through out its history by means of individual geniuses, and out of the soil supporting them; non-Western musicians were born, and grew like the grasses of the field.

Music is a form of prayer.

I always want to write erotic music... Not only about the love between men and women, but in a much more universal sense - about the sensuality of the mechanism of the universe... about life.

Composition gives proper meaning to the natural streams of sound that penetrate the world.

Although I am basically self taught, I consider Debussy my teacher - the most important elements are colour, light and shadow.

I probably belong to a type of composer of songs who keeps thinking about melody... I am old fashioned.

I am a gardener of infinite time.