Though not religious in the traditional sense, she considers playing music to be a very spiritual experience. Music nurtures my spiritual connection with life. Growing up, my parents exposed us to different religions. We were not locked into a specific system of thought. Broadly, God was love.
Music creates a strong bond between people, a sense that goes beyond our other senses.
I feel it in small ensemble playing too. I remember experiencing this clearly when I was conducting the Sibelius Violin Concerto in Norway, when the soloist skipped a repeat and landed 20 bars later. Remarkably, the orchestra went right there with her. It isn't anything that can be explained logically. She believes that music and the other arts could really help with the world's larger issues.