I have discovered three things which know no geographical borders - classical music, American jazz, and applause as the sign of the public's favor.

Practice like it means everything in the world to you. Perform like you don't give a damn.

No matter what side of the argument you are on, you always find people on your side that you wish were on the other.

If I don't practice one day, I know it; two days, the critics know it; three days, the public knows it.

There is no top. There are always further heights to reach.

There is no such thing as perfection, there are only standards. And after you have set a standard you learn that it was not high enough. You want to surpass it.

I occasionally play works by contemporary composers and for two reasons. First to discourage the composer from writing any more and secondly to remind myself how much I appreciate Beethoven.

Criticism does not disturb me, for I am my own severest critic. Always in my playing I strive to surpass myself, and it is this constant struggle that makes music fascinating to me.

The discipline of practice every day is essential. When I skip a day, I notice a difference in my playing. After two days, the critics notice, and after three days, so does the audience.

Music has a lot in com­mon with math­e­mat­ics. But in music, two and two need not make four: they add up to what­ever you wish.

If the Almighty himself played the violin, the credits would still read 'Rubinstein, God, and Piatigorsky', in that order.

To be right is just one more reason not to achieve any success.

Institutionalized:Ghetto stars pimped so hard for so long -- they'll starve to pimp themselves behind psychic bars.

Live within and without your core of being.

He who knows most grieves most for wasted time.

We are all very ignorant. What happens is that not all ignore the same things.

The goal of society in general is to succeed in the world, whereas the goal of enlightenment is to transcend beyond it.

Blay was the closest thing to an angel Qhuinn had ever come near.

I'm extremely blessed. There's a lot of people trying to exactly what I'm doing, but I'm a part of that 9.1 percent that's actually having their dream come true. I just don't take that for granted.

For the mind to flower it has to go beyond what it knows.

These days I'm pretty much a businessman.