Composer on 'Bang on a Can'

Dear Simon from Key West,

I want to assure you that none of us ever wanted to hurt you with our music. As for looking at what we do as an indication of how the world works, maybe I am hopelessly naive, but I don't actually think the most important thing in the world is who you know. Surely you must know a lot of important people, from your 50 years with the most famous and respected in the business?

I think the most important thing is having an idea of how the world you want to live in may be different from the world you inherit, and then working to make that world change. With my music and with "Bang on a Can" I am trying very hard to build the world I want to live in. It doesn't hurt or surprise me that other people would want to build the world differently; quite the opposite. I don't think that a musical idea's value is that it makes all other musical ideas worthless. My ideas are not in competition with all the other ideas; they should be in constant contact with them. In fact, I think a truly healthy musical world would be one in which all the ideas are supported and defended and loved as passionately as I support and defend and love my own.

I once got in trouble when an interviewer asked why "Bang on a Can" didn't represent all the other music in the world he was interested in, and I answered that he should start his own festival. He thought I was being condescending but I really meant it - if you really believe in something you will want to dedicate yourself to it, and fiercely. (The converse may also be true, that the world you don't feel like dedicating yourself to fiercely may not be worthy of your support.)