“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” That’s what Ralph Waldo Emerson said. It reflects my credo, too. Whether conducting, composing, teaching or lecturing, I strive to embody the communicative thrust that animated great musical creators.

Today’s listeners are busy and segmented. Yet deep down, most of us crave the upliftment that great music can bring.

It is time for extraordinary efforts and great communicative thrust to relate great music to contemporary society. It is time to share the treasure of great music and re-establish it as an irresistible, shaping force in people’s lives. That is my commitment. My concerts and teaching are designed to combine scholarship with showmanship. They are peppered with humor and opportunities for engagement demonstrating that great music need not be rarified and exclusionary, but fun and fulfilling.