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There are two golden rules for an orchestra: start together and finish together. The public doesn't give a damn what goes on in between.

I always imagined that to bring an orchestra to play together is not enough for a conductor.

I love working with an orchestra, but there are many ways to make music.

Why write for the orchestra? For one thing it's a very challenging problem.

But still as compared to many, many orchestras in the world, I think you find a lot more new music and living composers on our programs than many other places.

The role of an orchestra in the 21st century isn't just playing, it's about developing future audiences and performers.

I mean, the great secret is that an orchestra can actually play without a conductor at all. Of course, a great conductor will have a concept and will help them play together and unify them.

An American orchestra doesn't want to play more than it has to. I respectfully disagree with that attitude.

You have to change your mind with every orchestra because every orchestra has a different character.

The game is if the orchestra can hear each other, they play better. If they play better and there's a tangible feeling between the orchestra and the audience, if they feel each other, the audience responds and the orchestra feels it.