Peter Maxwell Davies Quotes

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.

Peter Maxwell Davies



If you aim at anything lower that is expecting your audience to be really alert and aware, then you're going to be caught out sooner or later as a composer.

Peter Maxwell Davies



If you don't get feedback from your performers and your audience, you're going to be working in a vacuum.

Peter Maxwell Davies



If you're writing a piece for the Boston Pops, the balance is towards one end. If you're writing a piece for a chamber music society, then it's towards another point. I won't make a final answer on that. I think it changes with every piece.

Peter Maxwell Davies



Recently I've been participating in radio and television talk programs doing broadcasts and conferences, and shooting my mouth off and really going to town.

Peter Maxwell Davies



The demands are related to their questing of the best possible out of the people concerned. It's this going for the highest possible factor that I'm very concerned about.

Peter Maxwell Davies



The establishment in Britain is certainly against the arts and against education. If something doesn't make a profit, it's invalid, and art doesn't make a profit in that sense.

Peter Maxwell Davies



The present government is very insistent that business sponsorship should replace government sponsorship of the arts. Business sponsorship won't happen unless you make tax concessions, which they won't.

Peter Maxwell Davies



What they can expect always is that they're going to be made to think.

Peter Maxwell Davies



You can't pander to your audience. You might in the short term, but ultimately you can't hoodwink them, either.

Peter Maxwell Davies



You don't underestimate either players or audience in any circumstances.

Peter Maxwell Davies