Gavin Bryars Quotes

I'm having a blast being the music director at the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. It certainly is challenging for me, but I love challenges.

My whole life, I've been watching conductors. I was 7 the first time I played with a conductor. Seeing the ones that do it well, it's an amazing thing.

Let me say that I've never thought to conduct because the conductor has to think to the music before the orchestra. And the orchestra comes later. For me, it's terrible.

A Beethoven symphony should be rehearsed like chamber music, only for a lot more people.

I started directing chamber orchestras, then adding bigger pieces, adding winds, adding small symphonies. I've always loved chamber music, and I've done a lot.

In contrast, traditional classical music starts from an abstract musical schema. This is then notated and only expressed in concrete sound as a last stage, when it is performed.

I can take any series of numbers and turn it into music, from Bach to bebop, Herbie Hancock to hip-hop.

I love doing concert music.

My music is simple stuff. Anybody can sit down, look at a set of symbols and produce sounds the music represents.

Conductors' careers are made for the most part with 'Romantic' music. 'Classic' music eliminates the conductor; we do not remember him in it.

I just can't read music.

When I do the music, I make the musicians listen to what's happening in the film. That way they treat the dialogue as if it was a singer.

After conducting Wagner, Beethoven's triple concerto is like taking an Alka Seltzer.

I never learned to read music.

It has never been necessary for me to learn how to read music.

The orchestra confides in me about their music director or their conductor, and I've never seen a conductor that's been liked by everyone.

A symphony is no joke.

As long as I can sing halfway decent, I'd rather sing than act. There's nothing like being in good voice, feeling good, having good numbers to do and having a fine orchestra.

I write music visually.

I like to create the music I hear in my interior. As a conductor, you have the ability to squeeze the sounds and interpretation you asked for from 50 to 80 people.

We've been performing with symphonies all of our career and it sounds so wonderful when they play 'My Girl' with the large string section, I want to turn around and look.

I am just the band leader, and I just keep everything in tune.

Playing in an orchestra is where I learned the most about music.

When I started, I'd never had a conducting lesson in my life; I could just do it.

I want to take the great tradition of the orchestra within me, to take what the orchestra offers.