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Actually, I've had very little classical training, although I love listening to classical music very much.

It is important for the musician to learn as much about the composer as possible and to study the music he has written. Then, even a short piece by Brahms or Chopin can be played with much more understanding.

The thing about music is it's not an obscure pursuit, it's a very natural thing for human beings to do. Once you put in the effort, the learning curve is very fast.

It's interesting about classical music that the more you hear something, the more you get to know a piece, the better and better it gets, period, which is just an interesting thing on it.

My father knew classical music very well. Driving in the car, listening to the radio, he could name every composer, every movement, what piece it was. I was fascinated by the way he recognized who wrote what.

Music teaches people to work together, which is maybe one of the most important skills.

I don't have a classical-music mentality. I haven't been taught that way, and it doesn't fit my character, either.

New music is absolutely integral to classical music.

Piano was - well, all musical instruments were taught in this very rigid, formal, classical method when I was young.