Nigel Kennedy

“The whole idea of classical music is that it's timeless.”

“You have to be a bit of a rebel to be a classical musician.”

“The violin is a spiritual instrument. It's an extension of your soul.”

“I wanted to try and create a moment of intimacy in a public space, which is the problem that all performers are faced with.”

“I don't think any of us can judge other people's motives.”

“I think Vivaldi is a musical genius, and he's just been a victim of his own popularity.”

“I don't believe in elitism. I don't think the audience is this dumb person lower than me. I am the audience.”

“I think it is very important to conserve the heritage of music.”

“If you are a musician, you have to be open to all music.”

“There's a great tradition in storytelling that's thousands of years old, telling stories about kings and their kingdoms, and conquering clowns and presidents.”

“I find the whole business of religion puzzling and disturbing.”

“For me, punk is about real feelings. It's not about, 'Yeah, I am a punk.'”

“I've always been interested in the combination of the familiar and the strange.”