A friend gave me a CD of the 'Pathetique' Symphony as a Christmas present. I went home and I put on the CD expecting to listen to Tchaikovsky. But it started 'ta ta ta taaa.' It was too long for me. I didn't understand it at first but then I fell in love in love in love.

I grew up a Red Sox fan. I grew up going to Fenway Park and the Museum of Fine Arts and the Science Museum and Symphony Hall and going to the Common walking around. My whole family at different times lived and worked in Boston.

I would never have become music director of the Chicago Symphony which would have been an extremely sad loss.

Coming to understand a painting or a symphony in an unfamiliar style to recognize the work of an artist or school to see or hear in new ways is as cognitive an achievement as learning to read or write or add.

When the bright angel dominates out comes a great work of art a Michelangelo David or a Beethoven symphony.

It was really amazing. I mean he'd never mentioned that he played in the symphony like serious violin playing not fiddle playing. And he just blew us away.

You can't play a symphony alone it takes an orchestra to play it.