I found a certain kind of music congenial to me; it never occurred to me to write music that was academically acceptable.

I've never set out consciously to write American music. I don't know what that would be unless the obvious Appalachian folk references.

What is American music? The most satisfying answer I've come across is that it was a kind of natural comfort with the vernacular which is diverse and regional; it's not one particular set of sounds.

There's the Bacon society, which is fostered by his fourth wife Helen Bacon, but I don't know what kind of performances his music gets. He wrote symphonic music and some chorale music.

It's amazing how fast generations lose sight of other generations. One of the first things the young composers who come to work with me say is that they want to write music people will like, instead of gaining their credentials by being rejected by the audience.

You can't possibly predict what will last or not. But once you attempt to write for the ages, you're doomed.