Overview
- Michael Tilson Thomas, who died Wednesday at his San Francisco home, succumbed to glioblastoma after living with the brain cancer since 2021.
- He led the San Francisco Symphony from 1995 to 2020, conducting nearly 1,800 concerts and raising the orchestra’s global profile through standout recordings.
- The 12-time Grammy winner became a leading voice in Mahler and Stravinsky and released more than 140 albums with top orchestras.
- He co-founded Miami’s New World Symphony in 1987, creating a training path that prepares elite young musicians for full-time orchestra jobs.
- After announcing a tumor recurrence in February 2025, he gave his last public concert that April and later mourned the February 2026 death of his husband, Joshua Robison.