I have yet to find something that beats the power of being in love, or the power of music at its most magical.

You go through phases. You have to reinvent reasons for playing, and one year's answer might not do for another.

Music enhances the education of our children by helping them to make connections and broadening the depth with which they think and feel. If we are to hope for a society of culturally literate people, music must be a vital part of our children's education.

Our cultural strength has always been derived from our diversity of understanding and experience.

Passion is one great force that unleashes creativity, because if you're passionate about something, then you're more willing to take risks.

The tradition of classical music and the opera is such that it used to be the place where social intercourse could take place between all parts of society: politicians, industrialists, artists, citizens, etc. That tradition, I think, still exists, but it's much, much more diluted.

After reaching 50, I began to wonder what the root of life is.