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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.

A composer knows that music is written by human beings for human beings and that music is a continuation of life, not something separated from it.

The real composer thinks about his work the whole time; he is not always conscious of this, but he is aware of it later when he suddenly knows what he will do.

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

I don't really call myself a composer.

I think that one of the things that influences me most as a composer is to what extent I can deconstruct and reconstruct the material that I'm working with.

I think the purpose of a piece of music is significant when it actually lives in somebody else. A composer puts down a code, and a performer can activate the code in somebody else. Once it lives in somebody else, it can live in others as well.

I think it's good for the composer to teach because you always have new students and you have to begin at the beginning and make things clear.

I'm not an intellectual composer.