Michael Tilson Thomas: Legendary Conductor and Longtime Leader of the Sa

Michael Tilson Thomas was an American conductor, composer and pianist best known as the music director of the San Francisco Symphony for 25 years and the founder of the New World Symphony. Born on December 21, 1944, in Los Angeles, California, he was the grandson of Yiddish theater stars Boris and Bessie Thomashefsky and became one of the most admired musicians of his era.

At age 24, in 1969, he replaced an ill William Steinberg in the middle of a Boston Symphony concert, a moment that brought him international attention. He led the Buffalo Philharmonic from 1971 to 1979, founded the New World Symphony orchestral academy in Miami Beach in 1987, and served as music director of the San Francisco Symphony from 1995 to 2020. He received a Kennedy Center Honor in 2019.

Thomas married Joshua Robison in 2014 after about 50 years together; Robison died on February 22, 2026. Thomas died of glioblastoma at his home in San Francisco on April 22, 2026, at age 81. Remembered as an inspiring teacher and a champion of American music, he leaves a legacy that continues in the young musicians he trained.

Achievements: Music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic (1971-1979), founded the New World Symphony (1987), music director of the San Francisco Symphony (1995-2020), received a Kennedy Center Honor (2019).

Birth: December 21, 1944 - Los Angeles, California.

Profession: Conductor, composer, pianist and educator.

Interesting Facts: Thomas said James Brown's "Cold Sweat" shaped his sense of rhythm. He first met his future husband, Joshua Robison, when they were 11 and 12 years old in a junior high school orchestra.