No matter what message you are about to deliver somewhere, whether it is holding out a hand of friendship, or making clear that you disapprove of something, is the fact that the person sitting across the table is a human being, so the goal is to always establish common ground.
“My whole career I have worked with non-Western musicians and different orchestras and ensembles and choirs.”
“I've always argued, unsuccessfully, that there's no point in giving money to the arts unless you educate people in them.”