--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I just wish, maybe, that I'd started…" description: "\"I just wish, maybe, that I'd started conducting earlier. I was about 40 when I started. Apart from that I don't really have any regrets. Is that bad?\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75d/neville-marriner-25319_conducting_i-just-wish-maybe-that-i-d-started-condu_635299.png" --- # I just wish, maybe, that I'd started conducting earlier. I… ![“I just wish, maybe, that I'd started conducting earlier. I was about 40 when I started. Apart from that I don't really have any regrets. Is that bad?” quote by Neville Marriner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75d/neville-marriner-25319_conducting_i-just-wish-maybe-that-i-d-started-condu_635299.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75d/neville-marriner-25319_conducting_i-just-wish-maybe-that-i-d-started-condu_635299.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75d/neville-marriner-25319_conducting_i-just-wish-maybe-that-i-d-started-condu_635299.png) > “I just wish, maybe, that I'd started conducting earlier. I was about 40 when I started. Apart from that I don't really have any regrets. Is that bad?” [Neville Marriner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-marriner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reflects on starting a musical career later in life, acknowledging no regrets despite late start. **In simple terms:** Late start, no regrets. Key Takeaway Embrace your path regardless of timing. Themes music career age regret selfacceptance Mood reflective content hopeful Type advice personal narrative When to use this quote - career change - teaching - conducting - late bloom - personal growth Key Concepts lifelong learning personal fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - What would you have done differently if you started earlier? - How does your age influence your teaching style? A Different Perspective May overlook early opportunities that could have shaped development. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [When I started, I'd never had a conducting lesson in my life; I could just do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bonynge/when-i-started-i-d-never-had-a-conducting-lesson-in-my-life-i-could/) [Richard Bonynge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bonynge/) > [I did the one concert, and I was not bitten by the conducting bug, and I thought I was done, but then the phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/i-did-the-one-concert-and-i-was-not-bitten-by-the-conducting-bug-and/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [I started conducting lessons and I realized that this is actually something I like doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esa-pekka-salonen/i-started-conducting-lessons-and-i-realized-that-this-is-actually/) [Esa-Pekka Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esa-pekka-salonen/) > [Well, I started conducting kind of by accident. I wanted to give myself a special birthday present for my fortieth birthday, and I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/well-i-started-conducting-kind-of-by-accident-i-wanted-to-give-myself/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [“I have many regrets, many bad things I must take credit for, but believe me when I say that the negative impact that all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-k-lilley/i-have-many-regrets-many-bad-things-i-must-take-credit-for-but/) [R.K. Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-k-lilley/) > [I am not a person who can really sit around and think about regrets because with every bad experience that you have, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-am-not-a-person-who-can-really-sit-around-and-think-about-regrets/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [ That Iran is willing to threaten Israel is wrong\[. . . .\] We pose no threat and if we are conducting nuclear research and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-larijani/that-iran-is-willing-to-threaten-israel-is-wrong-we-pose-no-threat/) [Ali Larijani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-larijani/) > [I do three things. I do teaching, I do conducting and I do playing. And each one of those sort of helps the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/itzhak-perlman/i-do-three-things-i-do-teaching-i-do-conducting-and-i-do-playing-and/) [Itzhak Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/itzhak-perlman/) > [The Kosovo campaign was a just and necessary war. And I believe that Blair - of whom I have many criticisms - in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/the-kosovo-campaign-was-a-just-and-necessary-war-and-i-believe-that/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [Phones rang constantly, as if the White House was conducting some kind of pardon telethon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-olson/phones-rang-constantly-as-if-the-white-house-was-conducting-some-kind/) [Barbara Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-olson/) > [Your presence here is is only a matter of conducting an experiment in limits, reminding yourself of what you aren’t.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/your-presence-here-is-is-only-a-matter-of-conducting-an-experiment-in/) [Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/) > [The actor is concerned with his own bit of it, but the director's somehow trying to work the whole thing into a much bigger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-joffe/the-actor-is-concerned-with-his-own-bit-of-it-but-the-director-s/) [Roland Joffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-joffe/) > [Doctoral training is devoted almost entirely to learning to do research, even though most Ph.Ds who enter academic life spend far more time teaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bok/doctoral-training-is-devoted-almost-entirely-to-learning-to-do/) [Derek Bok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bok/) > [At the time when I was conducting my research there was no known method for taking the guinea pig's temperature. I demonstrated a technique…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-jules-henry-nicole/at-the-time-when-i-was-conducting-my-research-there-was-no-known/) [Charles Jules Henry Nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-jules-henry-nicole/) > [I am a muso, and I love doing it. I assumed that would be my career for a long time. I always wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-robert-brown/i-am-a-muso-and-i-love-doing-it-i-assumed-that-would-be-my-career-for/) [Jason Robert Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-robert-brown/) ## More by Neville Marriner > [I would like new people with new ideas to come into it and change it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-marriner/i-would-like-new-people-with-new-ideas-to-come-into-it-and-change-it/) [Neville Marriner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-marriner/) > [So I've never found there was any particular separation between the two cultures at all, musically speaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-marriner/so-i-ve-never-found-there-was-any-particular-separation-between-the/) [Neville Marriner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-marriner/) > [But the most important test is to take them on tour and see if you can bear to spend time with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-marriner/but-the-most-important-test-is-to-take-them-on-tour-and-see-if-you/) [Neville Marriner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-marriner/) > [If we perform the romantic repertoire we need more musicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-marriner/if-we-perform-the-romantic-repertoire-we-need-more-musicians/) [Neville Marriner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-marriner/) > [If the (British) Arts Council give you money, they also tell you how to spend it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-marriner/if-the-british-arts-council-give-you-money-they-also-tell-you-how-to/) [Neville Marriner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-marriner/) > [The awful thing about a conductor becoming geriatric is that you seem to become more desirable, not less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-marriner/the-awful-thing-about-a-conductor-becoming-geriatric-is-that-you-seem/) [Neville Marriner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-marriner/) > [Most Beethoven symphonies require 80 or more instruments, and the late romantics even more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-marriner/most-beethoven-symphonies-require-80-or-more-instruments-and-the-late/) [Neville Marriner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-marriner/) > [Mozart has written opera, symphony, sacred and chamber music - not to mention his piano and violin concerti.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-marriner/mozart-has-written-opera-symphony-sacred-and-chamber-music-not-to/) [Neville Marriner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-marriner/) > [Initially we performed in halls with capacities of 1,000.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-marriner/initially-we-performed-in-halls-with-capacities-of-1-000/) [Neville Marriner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-marriner/) > [So I think we got together as the Academy to give ourselves that sort of responsibility and to play well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-marriner/so-i-think-we-got-together-as-the-academy-to-give-ourselves-that-sort/) [Neville Marriner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-marriner/) > [Music is a continuum and the modern and avant-garde composers of today will be part of the standard repertoire 30 years from now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-marriner/music-is-a-continuum-and-the-modern-and-avant-garde-composers-of/) [Neville Marriner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-marriner/) > [I think we were all frustrated with our daily routine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-marriner/i-think-we-were-all-frustrated-with-our-daily-routine/) [Neville Marriner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-marriner/) > [One of the great virtues, apart from the pleasure of performing these works, is that it's opened up an entirely new, expansive repertoire of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-marriner/one-of-the-great-virtues-apart-from-the-pleasure-of-performing-these/) [Neville Marriner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-marriner/) > [So in one leap we had gone from being a friendly society to something almost professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-marriner/so-in-one-leap-we-had-gone-from-being-a-friendly-society-to-something/) [Neville Marriner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-marriner/) > [I think the quality of something like the Beveridge, for instance, will have a life of its own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-marriner/i-think-the-quality-of-something-like-the-beveridge-for-instance-will/) [Neville Marriner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-marriner/) [Explore all 23 Neville Marriner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-marriner/) ## More Conducting quotes > [I am a muso, and I love doing it. I assumed that would be my career for a long time. I always wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-robert-brown/i-am-a-muso-and-i-love-doing-it-i-assumed-that-would-be-my-career-for/) [Jason Robert Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-robert-brown/) > [At the time when I was conducting my research there was no known method for taking the guinea pig's temperature. I demonstrated a technique…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-jules-henry-nicole/at-the-time-when-i-was-conducting-my-research-there-was-no-known/) [Charles Jules Henry Nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-jules-henry-nicole/) > [Doctoral training is devoted almost entirely to learning to do research, even though most Ph.Ds who enter academic life spend far more time teaching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bok/doctoral-training-is-devoted-almost-entirely-to-learning-to-do/) [Derek Bok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bok/) > [The actor is concerned with his own bit of it, but the director's somehow trying to work the whole thing into a much bigger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-joffe/the-actor-is-concerned-with-his-own-bit-of-it-but-the-director-s/) [Roland Joffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-joffe/) > [I started conducting lessons and I realized that this is actually something I like doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esa-pekka-salonen/i-started-conducting-lessons-and-i-realized-that-this-is-actually/) [Esa-Pekka Salonen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esa-pekka-salonen/) > [Your presence here is is only a matter of conducting an experiment in limits, reminding yourself of what you aren’t.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mcinerney/your-presence-here-is-is-only-a-matter-of-conducting-an-experiment-in/) [Jay McInerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mcinerney/) > [Phones rang constantly, as if the White House was conducting some kind of pardon telethon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-olson/phones-rang-constantly-as-if-the-white-house-was-conducting-some-kind/) [Barbara Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-olson/) > [The Kosovo campaign was a just and necessary war. And I believe that Blair - of whom I have many criticisms - in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/the-kosovo-campaign-was-a-just-and-necessary-war-and-i-believe-that/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [I do three things. I do teaching, I do conducting and I do playing. And each one of those sort of helps the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/itzhak-perlman/i-do-three-things-i-do-teaching-i-do-conducting-and-i-do-playing-and/) [Itzhak Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/itzhak-perlman/) > [Well, I started conducting kind of by accident. I wanted to give myself a special birthday present for my fortieth birthday, and I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/well-i-started-conducting-kind-of-by-accident-i-wanted-to-give-myself/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [ That Iran is willing to threaten Israel is wrong\[. . . .\] We pose no threat and if we are conducting nuclear research and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-larijani/that-iran-is-willing-to-threaten-israel-is-wrong-we-pose-no-threat/) [Ali Larijani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-larijani/) > [While some of them acknowledge the obligation of natural morality in their mode of conducting their cases, and preserve their individual character as gentlemen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-combe/while-some-of-them-acknowledge-the-obligation-of-natural-morality-in/) [George Combe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-combe/) > [The 10 or 12 artists I have known really well all my life are at least as competitive as professional athletes. They may express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/the-10-or-12-artists-i-have-known-really-well-all-my-life-are-at/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [Conducting is like making love to a hundred people at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-bernstein/conducting-is-like-making-love-to-a-hundred-people-at-the-same-time/) [Leonard Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-bernstein/) > [..The argument he was conducting with his neighbor as to whether the English magician had gone mad because he was a magician, or because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/the-argument-he-was-conducting-with-his-neighbor-as-to-whether-the/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) Browse all 223 Conducting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I just wish, maybe, that I'd started conducting earlier. I was about 40 when I started. 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