I Wanted To Get Away From My

Friends Are Very Important To Me, And I Have Always Had Many Of Them. There Are Probably Many Reasons Why This Is So, But Two Seem To Me More Valid Than Any Of The Others I Am A Naturally Friendly Person, And I Hate To Be Alone.

Although Both Sides Of My Family Were Religious, I Was Never Forced To Practice The Jewish Faith. I Did Not Really Rebel Against It, But Then, As Today, I Disliked Organized Religion. I Have A Strange Inhibition About Praying With Others.

I Would Never Have Become Music Director Of The Chicago Symphony, Which Would Have Been An Extremely Sad Loss.

The Academy Gave Me A Grounding In Discipline And Hard Work That Has Sustained Me Throughout My Life, And The Lessons I Learned There I Now Try To Impress On Young People.

I Can Only Hope That Neither Of Them Was Scarred By Their Upbringing.