I play an instrument that has four strings, and I'm still trying to get it right. What I've tried to do in the process of playing these four strings is to try and understand the people I meet, the stories they have to tell. And then become an advocate for them and their stories through music.

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Perfection is not very communicative

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But an innovation, to grow organically from within, has to be based on an intact tradition, so our idea is to bring together musicians who represent all these traditions, in workshops, festivals, and concerts, to see how we can connect with each other in music.

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Classical music is one of the best things that ever happened to mankind. If you get introduced to it in the right way, it becomes your friend for life.

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I think one of the great things about being a musician is that you never stop learning.

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A Senegalese poet said 'In the end we will conserve only what we love. We love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.' We must learn about other cultures in order to understand, in order to love, and in order to preserve our common world heritage.

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When we enlarge our view of the world, we deepen our understanding of our own lives.

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I remember when I was growing up. My great wish was to understand who I was and how I fit in the world.

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When we have a good balance between thinking and feeling... our actions and lives are always the richer for it.

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Each day I move toward that which I do not understand. The result is a continuous accidental learning which constantly shapes my life.

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