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Celebrated American conductor and composer Michael Tilson Thomas has passed away at the age of 81.
The conductor took his last breath on Wednesday, April 22, at his home in San Francisco after a years-long battle with glioblastoma.
Spokesperson Connie Shuman confirmed that Thomas passed away after his brain tumour returned in early 2025.
During his life, Thomas led major orchestras in San Francisco, London, Miami, and Buffalo.
He was nominated 39 times for Grammys, out of which he secured the award 12 times, and received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2019 for his contributions to American culture.
Michael Tilson Thomas' early life
The conductor was born into an artistic family in LA in 1944 to parents who worked in the New York and LA film and television industries.
He studied at the University of Southern California and collaborated with musical giants such as Aaron Copland and Igor Stravinsky before graduating in 1967.
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Tilson Thomas rose to national prominence on October 22, 1969, when he debuted at Lincoln Center as a mid-concert substitute for William Steinberg.
His leadership career spanned decades, including roles as music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic from 1971 to 1979 and principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra from 1988 to 1995.
He also co-founded the New World Symphony in Miami in 1987.
Michael Tilson Thomas' final concert
Before his death, Thomas performed a final commemorative concert in San Francisco in April 2025.
In a statement released before the performance, he used musical metaphors to describe the conclusion of his life.
"At that point we all get to say the old show business expression, 'It's a wrap,'" said the renowned conductor.
He added, "A coda is a musical element at the end of a composition that brings the whole piece to a conclusion. A coda can vary greatly in length. My life's coda is generous and rich."
