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And over the last ten years, after my work with the Brodsky Quartet, I had the opportunity to write arrangements for chamber group, chamber orchestra, jazz orchestra, symphony orchestra even.

I approach everything as chamber music. Even with Beethoven symphonies, I lead from the violin and basically encourage the orchestra to think of it as a giant string quartet.

Living composers writing for big band are very few and far between. There are not a lot of them, and I have a talent for doing it. I am zeroing in on what I do best.

I went to study some orchestration stuff because I got so inspired working with all the orchestras.

Composers, like authors, have a lot in common. Our main goal is to connect with the listener emotionally.

I've always wanted to make music like people write plays, so I was inspired by writers as much as musicians.

I write arrangements. I'm sort of a wannabe composer.

That process by which you become a writer is a pretty lonely one. We don't have a group apprenticeship like a violinist might training for an orchestra.

I have written symphonic poems and chamber music. It is my way of personal expression.

I run around so much that I finally reasoned that composing is the one musical endeavour which you can do anywhere, anytime.