Living in the age of the "crossover composer"

How being alone can spark inspiration

How the places that artists live can influence and motivate them

The role of artists as public intellectuals

Building ensembles, being a conductor, and engaging audiences

The influence of Elliot Carter

Dutilleux: Sean Shepherd's musical hero

How performance experience affects composition

Identity as a composer vs. instrumentalist

Sean Shepherd's earliest musical memories and growing up in Reno

Joan Tower: "Wild Purple," contemporary music traits and trends

Mozart's piano

Coloring Your Sound

The "Clock Theory"

Quantz, and playing in the baroque style

The Transition from Student to Artist

Beethoven Classical Sonatas

Dots vs. Wedges: Articulation in the Beethoven Piano Sonatas

The influence of Chinese composers today

Advice to young composers