The best critics leave the reader curious to pursue something further, but still to let the reader have his or her own honest, unique opinion.

Part of what makes music so interesting is the lack of consensus on just about any given topic.

While I believe there is certainly a phenomenon of timelessness in art, the people writing today can comment on today in an exclusive manner.

If people want insights, if they want to swim in the currents of their own time and share the experiences of their time, then it makes sense to engage with the artists of one's own time.

I don't think performance out of duty yields very much. Coercion is never the way to go.

My own goals center around writing the best music that I can, and only I can determine whether or not I've succeeded in accomplishing that.

Just as all pop music is not simplistic, not all contemporary concert music is complex. Often what a person connects with goes much deeper than generalized issues of simplicity and complexity.

Many critics have become de facto teachers. That is a lot of responsibility, and I think it should be wielded with care. Most people appreciate sincere guidance.

Mazur was a remarkable artist. During our time in Rome we became friends. I would often perform my works for him at the piano.

A healthy dialogue is always good.

I was fortunate to work with Corigliano for a few years in the mid nineties. Meeting and working with him during those formative years was an important experience.

I don't compare life to anything. Life can't be defined or compared, I just know that it dresses itself as a murderer in the end.

There's no future in stories...Stories are things of the past, things for museums.

Those who believe they know it all should not fret when they ultimately realize they do not, for when there is nothing left to learn what challenges remain.

Adam has the most engaging smile and I realize, this is a private smile reserved just for me . . . like he’s waited his whole life for just one smile.

I'm not good at a lot of things. I am not good at keeping my room clean. I am not good at eating healthy. I am not good at sports anymore. I used to be! Not so much anymore.

At the end of the day, I let myself have a glass of wine.

You might be a redneck if your momma tore her best dress coon hunting.

Surely there are enough Celtic songs without introducing religion or politics or anything else.

The only thing that can change Japan is a change in government.

We forget that God's primary goal is not changing our situations or relationships so that we can be happy, but changing us through our situations and relationships so that we will be holy.