I feel very free and very happy to be a composer.

When we're at the end of The Rite of Spring or of a Bruckner symphony, I want people to feel the music physically.

This conducting thing happened. In 1983 I was sucked into this international career, which was a very scary experience.

With American orchestras, in particular, because they play in such huge halls, getting a true pianissimo is very hard.

I can't imagine how many first performances I've done, perhaps 500. Some of them have been very good, and some of course very bad.

I love a visceral sound, the kind that hits you in the belly.