In a very personal interview with DW, 70-year-old US conductor Kent Nagano looks back on his life and work. He reflects on some formative experiences and encounters - such as why Leonard Bernstein was so influential for him and how he met Frank Zappa and studied his classical compositions.

 

He also recalls his long collaboration with the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, whose sound continues to fascinate him. And he shares with us the secret of his close collaboration with his wife, pianist Mari Kodama. Nagano also relates some little-known anecdotes about his international career - like his experience conducting a Japanese choir - speaking only German and English - during a trip to Japan. Although Kurt Nagano is Japanese-American, he describes his own knowledge of Japanese as "nearly non-existent."