Role

:

Composer Conductor  

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

December 21, 1944 in Los Angeles, CA

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

:

Opera

 

 

Opera

 

 

Orchestral

 

 

Orchestral

 

Michael Tilson Thomas is a renowned American conductor, pianist, and composer who has made significant contributions to the world of classical music. He was born on December 21, 1944, in Los Angeles, California, to a family of musicians. His father, Ted Thomas, was a film and television composer, and his mother, Roberta Thomas, was a mezzo-soprano who performed with the Los Angeles Opera. Thomas began his musical education at an early age, studying piano with his mother and attending the University of Southern California's music program. He later continued his studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he earned a degree in music composition. During this time, he also studied conducting with the legendary conductor, Igor Stravinsky. In 1969, Thomas made his conducting debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and he quickly gained a reputation as a talented and innovative conductor. He was appointed the principal conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in 1971, and he held this position until 1979. During his tenure, he transformed the orchestra into one of the finest in the country, and he earned critical acclaim for his performances and recordings. In 1981, Thomas was appointed the music director of the San Francisco Symphony, a position he held for 25 years. During his tenure, he led the orchestra to new heights of artistic excellence, and he introduced innovative programming and educational initiatives that helped to expand the orchestra's audience and reach. He also commissioned numerous new works from contemporary composers, including John Adams, Philip Glass, and Steve Reich. One of Thomas's most significant achievements as the music director of the San Francisco Symphony was the creation of the "American Mavericks" festival, which celebrated the work of American composers who pushed the boundaries of classical music. The festival featured performances of works by composers such as Charles Ives, John Cage, and Lou Harrison, and it helped to establish Thomas as a champion of contemporary music. In addition to his work with the San Francisco Symphony, Thomas has also conducted many other leading orchestras around the world, including the New York Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Berlin Philharmonic. He has also been a frequent guest conductor at the Tanglewood Music Festival, where he has led performances of works by composers such as Gustav Mahler and Leonard Bernstein. Thomas is also an accomplished pianist and composer. He has recorded several albums as a pianist, including a critically acclaimed recording of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue." He has also composed numerous works, including an opera based on the life of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California. Throughout his career, Thomas has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to classical music. He has won 11 Grammy Awards for his recordings, and he has been awarded the National Medal of Arts, the highest honor given to artists by the United States government. He has also been inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the California Hall of Fame. In 2020, Thomas announced that he would be stepping down as the music director of the San Francisco Symphony at the end of the 2019-2020 season. His tenure with the orchestra had been marked by numerous achievements and innovations, and he had helped to establish the orchestra as one of the finest in the world.

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