Philosophy: Unintelligible answers to insoluble problems.

It is impossible to underrate human intelligence - beginning with one's own.

There is no such thing as an underestimate of average intelligence.

No man likes to have his intelligence or good faith questioned, especially if he has doubts about it himself.

My dad remembers being in school with my uncle, and the teacher would say outright to the class that the Japanese were second-class citizens and shouldn't be trusted.

Well, I tell young people to be successful today that, first of all, that what you learn today directly impacts what you earn tomorrow. This is a knowledge-based economy.

If you ask me about vocal technique, I don't know anything. I could never be a teacher. I just know what my teacher told me: 'Always sing with a full voice. When they tell you, less sound, more piano - no.'

I'm very interested, for instance, in music in education - getting young people not only to listen to, but participate in the music that I write. I consider this one of the most vital aspects of my work.