On the grounds of prestigious musical organizations that come and go, New York has the edge.
As soon as, say, Saddam Hussein started bombing Israel with Scuds, everyone was like, 'Poor Israel.' But when Israel retaliates - and most of the time they then win - people turn against them.
I sometimes feel it is to my disadvantage that I have not conducted the Cleveland Orchestra or the Boston or Chicago symphonies, but then I have had to sacrifice something in order to have enough time with my orchestras.
I admire Tom Ades: he's a brilliant conductor, and he gets just the right hard, brilliant sound from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra for Russian music.
Brazilian music has many of the ingredients that I strive for in my own music: Strong melodies and a disciplined but intense rhythmic concept, and interesting harmonies.
I tend to not want to put labels or categories on the music, only because people come with preconceived ideas about what they're going to hear, or won't come for this reason.
I cannot listen to Beethoven or Mahler or Chopin or Bach when I write because those composers require you stop what you are doing and listen.
Everybody should have his personal sounds to listen for - sounds that will make him exhilarated and alive or quiet and calm.
Conducting! A subject, truly, concerning which much might be written, yet scarcely anything of real importance is to be found in books.
I'm very much tied to the state of Israel, but I am against their policy of settlements in Palestine.
New York is really the place to be; to go to New York, you're going to the center of the world, the lion's den.
All these people who scream about Kashmir being an armed camp are in fact responsible for keeping it that way.
I am often critical of Israel's policies when in the country, but then feel defensive of them when overseas.
I just want to play for Hindus and Muslims that sit together. That's all I want to do.
You might say that Richard Wagner was the Queen Victoria of Europe. He had musical children everywhere!
Though there is such a rich tradition of culture and arts, I have never been invited to perform at a concert in South India.
There are certainly talented instrumentalists coming from India. I see them performing all over the world.
There is a school in Israel called Hand in Hand which I support. There Arab and Jewish students study together on a daily basis.
And at the same time, I had my very first concert at the age of 16. I hadn't heard a symphony orchestra before, and I was so deeply impressed I said I have to be a conductor.
You know you're in love when you don't want to fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.
In South America, I heard the 8th Symphony of Beethoven. And the young conductor thought, Beethoven must be heroic. But this is piece which shouldn't be heroic. And this was such a misunderstanding, such a deep misunderstanding.
