Music is a lens through which to see who we are. Every phrase of every piece of music is trying to tell a story.

For too long, musicians have been the greatest enemy of music. Their lack of desire to proselytize is a kind of betrayal.

I hate playing the piano! And it's so hard to fight for Beethoven's soul! But that's what I have to do!

[As a conductor] there has to be, between me and the orchestra, an unshakable bond of trust, born out of mutual respect, through which we can spin a musical narrative that we all believe in.

All roads for me lead back to Mozart. In his tragically short life, he breathed new life, fire and meaning into every form of music that existed in his time.

The spiritual work builds upon awareness, increases consciousness, transforms it, merges it with the divine, and this is how to reach true spirituality in life.

We didn't actually overspend our budget. The allocation simply fell short of our expenditure.

Grief was a terrible and beautiful thing.

I've always tried to be nice to people, so that sort of translates into popularity, I guess.

I just go with what excites me.

I only wear the latest thing. It's my job.

To seduce most anyone, ask for and listen to his opinion.

Enthusiasm is the nature of life. Become one whose enthusiasm never dies.

It must be quite difficult, concealing your superior male qualities behind a mask of feigned humility.” Why, Gillian, it’s that very ability that makes us so superior.

And I remember walking in there and, I must say, I was quite unnerved the closer I got to it.