Michael Tilson Thomas, renowned conductor and composer, dies at 81
NPR • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Michael Tilson Thomas, renowned conductor, composer, and educator, died at 81 in San Francisco; he led the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) for 25 years, significantly elevating its global reputation.
- Diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme in 2022, Thomas had previously announced treatment for a brain tumor in 2021; he was the longest-serving music director of the SFS from 1995 to 2020 and won 12 Grammy awards.
- Born in Los Angeles in 1944 into a theatrical family, Thomas studied at USC, worked with prominent composers like Stravinsky and Copland, and began his conducting career at the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1969.
- Thomas co-founded the New World Symphony in 1987, a training orchestra for emerging musicians, and played key roles with the London Symphony Orchestra and Ojai Music Festival, influencing classical music across the U.S. and Europe.
- His tenure at the SFS transformed the orchestra’s sound and reach, including founding the Keeping Score media series and launching the orchestra’s own recording label; he retired in 2017 to focus on new creative projects, including composing.
