"I always dreamed of writing in an orchestral context. But when you finish a piece, you want to hear it. So we played everything with Phish"
About this Quote
The first sentence is aspiration as self-mythology. “Always dreamed” positions orchestral writing as a long-held north star, a private creative identity that predates the public one. Then the second sentence snaps the fantasy into the economics of sound: composing isn’t complete on the page. Music has to be auditioned in air, through bodies, in real time, with feedback. “When you finish a piece, you want to hear it” is both childlike and quietly radical: the point is immediacy, not pedigree.
The kicker, “So we played everything with Phish,” lands as an ethos statement. Phish becomes the orchestra not because they mimic one, but because a tight, curious band can function like an orchestra: multiple voices, changing textures, collective discipline. Subtext: the jam-band world that critics often treat as unserious is actually a laboratory for large-form composition, where ideas get stress-tested night after night.
Context matters, too. Anastasio came up in a rock ecosystem where “orchestral” often meant indulgence or pretension. He sidesteps that trap by framing it as a logistical choice, not a status grab. The intent is disarmingly pragmatic: if you’re chasing bigger musical architecture, use the most responsive instrument you own - your band.
Quote Details
| Topic | Music |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Anastasio, Trey. (2026, January 17). I always dreamed of writing in an orchestral context. But when you finish a piece, you want to hear it. So we played everything with Phish. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-always-dreamed-of-writing-in-an-orchestral-72183/
Chicago Style
Anastasio, Trey. "I always dreamed of writing in an orchestral context. But when you finish a piece, you want to hear it. So we played everything with Phish." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-always-dreamed-of-writing-in-an-orchestral-72183/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I always dreamed of writing in an orchestral context. But when you finish a piece, you want to hear it. So we played everything with Phish." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-always-dreamed-of-writing-in-an-orchestral-72183/. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
