Nadia Boulanger

A great work is made out of a combination of obedience and liberty.

Do not take up music unless you would rather die than not do so.

There is nothing boring in life except ourselves

Loving a child doesn't mean giving in to all his whims; to love him is to bring out the best in him, to teach him to love what is difficult.

Without a strong cup to carry the emotion it is only a curiosity. Great art can come to us only in strong cups. Without emotion there is nothing to carry.

I've been a woman for a little over 50 years and have gotten over my initial astonishment. As for conducting an orchestra, that's a job where I don't think sex plays much part.

Everything we know by heart enriches us and helps us find ourselves. If it should get in the way of finding ourselves, it is because we have no personality.

Life is denied by lack of attention, whether it be to cleaning windows or trying to write a masterpiece.

The essential conditions of everything you do must be choice, love, passion.