Igor Stravinsky

"I compose what I must, not what I can."

"Time is the enemy of the composer and his only friend."

"To live is to create; to create is to live."

"The orchestra waits for no one, and neither should the composer."

"Music is mathematics made audible."

"I have no sympathy for the composer who is afraid to take risks."

"The power of music lies in its universality."

"To hear is not to listen; to listen is to hear with the soul."

"I am not interested in pleasing everyone; I am interested in pleasing myself."

"The future belongs to those who can imagine it."

"A work of art is never finished, merely abandoned."

"Courage is the first requirement of a true artist."

"Music speaks where words fail."

"I have learned more from my failures than from my successes."

"The composer's task is to awaken the sleeping soul."

"There is no such thing as a mistake in music, only missed opportunities."

"To understand art, one must first understand life."

"I compose for myself and for those who listen with their hearts."

"The greatest composers are those who are willing to be vulnerable."

"Music is the language of the universe."

"I have always believed that tradition should be a springboard, not a prison."

"The role of the audience is to listen, not to judge."

"Inspiration strikes those who are ready to receive it."

"A composition is complete when nothing can be removed and nothing added."

"The composer must be willing to challenge the audience and himself."

"Music is the most direct path to the human heart."

"I have spent my life learning to listen."

"The future of music depends on those willing to push its boundaries."

"To create great music, one must first create great silence."

"I am a servant of music, not its master."