I’ll write down little lines, I always say, 'K. T. N. ,' and I say that to my receivers and running backs and that means 'keep taking notes. ' That keeps me alert. That keeps me going. That keeps my drive there, even when you’re taking notes on something that you’ve already taken notes on a million times - keep taking notes.
As I sit down and start to work, I often panic. I stare at the empty piece of music paper. How can I say that my piece will be ready for performance next January when I do not have a recipe for making it happen?