two hundred & ninety nine

Sofia Asgatovna Gubaidulina was born on 24 October 1931 in Tschistopol.

In an interview with her in 1997, Bruce Duffie asked: What advice do you have for younger composers coming along?

A: Usually advice can be given by a person who is born a teacher, and advice can be given by a person who knows the answer.  Personally, I live in the world of questions.

Q:  Is it your music that answers at least some of these questions?
A:  I think that an artist of my type does not answer, but poses questions.  Composition by itself is a question.
Q:  So the finished composition is a question rather than an answer?
A:  Yes.
Q:  Is it the performer that answers it, or is it the audience hearing it that answers it?
A:  Nobody will answer.
Q:  Is there an answer?
A:  I think that there is no answer.