Composing's not voluntary, you know. There's no choice, you're not free. You're landed with an idea and you have responsibility to that idea..

I always write the pieces I want to write..

I don't think there is much American music..

The piece that had a large influence on me was Turangalila..

My attitude to writing is like when you do wallpapering, you remember where all the little bits are that don't meet. And then your friends say: It's ….

The thing about influence is that any composer worth anything will give you the same names..

When I dealt with set theory, I could never make it be the music that I wanted..

I think there are influences that you open the door to, and influences that come under the door..