There was an opinion expressed in the newspapers that, after 20 years, maybe the Israel Philharmonic should consider asking me to leave. I thought they might have a point, so I asked my orchestra. They told me overwhelmingly that they wanted me to stay.

Essentially, the [New York] Philharmonic is just like any other orchestra-they all have the spirit of kids, and if you scratch away a little of the fatigue and cynicism, out comes a 17-year-old music student again, full of wonder, exuberance and a tremendous love of music.

The New York Philharmonic is a tremendous opportunity, a great orchestra.

I think conductors do spend too little time with their orchestras.

I'm very much tied to the state of Israel, but I am against their policy of settlements in Palestine.

It's hard to find an emblem of cultural, national pride that burns as bright as Israel's success in classical music.