Just as the bird sings or the butterfly soars, because it is his natural characteristic, so the artist works.

The real artist has no idea that he is sacrificing himself for art. He does what he does for one reason and one reason only-he can't help doing it.

Time and again, a student will send me an urgent appeal to hear her, saying she is poor and wants my advice as to whether it is worthwhile to continue her studies. I invariably refuse such requests, saying that if the student could give up her work on my advice, she had better give it up without it.

We are rich in the quantity of songs rather than in the quality. The singer has to go through hundreds of compositions before he finds one that really says something.

Vocal study before age 20 is likely to be injurious, though some survive it in the hands of very careful and understanding teachers.

The sincerity of the art worker must permeate the song as naturally as the green leaves break through the dead branches in springtime.