Fri October 2, 2026
A Concert for Michael Tilson Thomas - A Celebration of Life and Legacy
at Davies Symphony Hall
(7:30pm)
The performance will feature many of Tilson Thomas's longtime friends and collaborators, including mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, vocalist Audra McDonald, pianists Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Yuja Wang, and conductors Teddy Abrams and Edwin Outwater, alongside the San Francisco Symphony and Chorus, among other special guests.
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the San Francisco Symphony honors the life, artistry, and enduring legacy of Michael Tilson Thomas with a special memorial concert celebrating one of the most transformative figures in the Orchestra's history and a beloved cultural figure in San Francisco and throughout the classical music world. A Concert for MTT will feature many of Tilson Thomas's longtime friends and collaborators, including conductors Teddy Abrams and Edwin Outwater, mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, vocalist Audra McDonald, and pianists Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Yuja Wang, alongside the San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Symphony Chorus and other guests to be announced.
The evening will reflect the breadth of Tilson Thomas's musical imagination, his passion for artistic discovery, and the lasting and profound relationships he cultivated throughout his career. Through a mix of personal tributes and anecdotes, archival footage and recordings, and performances of iconic repertoire, all drawn from a lifetime of music-making, the concert will trace Michael Tilson Thomas's remarkable journey and illuminate the indelible mark left by his 25-year tenure leading the San Francisco Symphony. Under his leadership, he helped the Orchestra achieve artistic acclaim, expand its global reach, and champion contemporary and American music, while reimagining how orchestras can connect with audiences and communities.
San Francisco Symphony CEO Matthew Spivey said, "Michael didn't just lead this orchestra. He reimagined what an orchestra could be, and he did it here, with these musicians, for this city. Working alongside him shaped how all of us understand our purpose. His loss in April was deeply felt, but his influence is woven into the San Francisco Symphony at every level, and it will be for generations. On October 2 we get to do the thing Michael loved most: gather, listen, and celebrate together. That so many of his friends, collaborators, and students are coming to make music in his honor tells you everything about the man and the bonds he built."
show less
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the San Francisco Symphony honors the life, artistry, and enduring legacy of Michael Tilson Thomas with a special memorial concert celebrating one of the most transformative figures in the Orchestra's history and a beloved cultural figure in San Francisco and throughout the classical music world. A Concert for MTT will feature many of Tilson Thomas's longtime friends and collaborators, including conductors Teddy Abrams and Edwin Outwater, mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, vocalist Audra McDonald, and pianists Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Yuja Wang, alongside the San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Symphony Chorus and other guests to be announced.
The evening will reflect the breadth of Tilson Thomas's musical imagination, his passion for artistic discovery, and the lasting and profound relationships he cultivated throughout his career. Through a mix of personal tributes and anecdotes, archival footage and recordings, and performances of iconic repertoire, all drawn from a lifetime of music-making, the concert will trace Michael Tilson Thomas's remarkable journey and illuminate the indelible mark left by his 25-year tenure leading the San Francisco Symphony. Under his leadership, he helped the Orchestra achieve artistic acclaim, expand its global reach, and champion contemporary and American music, while reimagining how orchestras can connect with audiences and communities.
San Francisco Symphony CEO Matthew Spivey said, "Michael didn't just lead this orchestra. He reimagined what an orchestra could be, and he did it here, with these musicians, for this city. Working alongside him shaped how all of us understand our purpose. His loss in April was deeply felt, but his influence is woven into the San Francisco Symphony at every level, and it will be for generations. On October 2 we get to do the thing Michael loved most: gather, listen, and celebrate together. That so many of his friends, collaborators, and students are coming to make music in his honor tells you everything about the man and the bonds he built."
The performance will feature many of Tilson Thomas's longtime friends and collaborators, including mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, vocalist Audra McDonald, pianists Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Yuja Wang, and conductors Teddy Abrams and Edwin Outwater, alongside the San Francisco Symphony and Chorus, among other special guests.
~~~
the San Francisco Symphony honors the life, artistry, and enduring legacy of Michael Tilson Thomas with a special memorial concert celebrating one of the most transformative figures in the Orchestra's history and a beloved cultural figure in San Francisco and throughout the classical music world. A Concert for MTT will feature many of Tilson Thomas's longtime friends and collaborators, including conductors Teddy Abrams and Edwin Outwater, mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, vocalist Audra McDonald, and pianists Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Yuja Wang, alongside the San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Symphony Chorus and other guests to be announced.
The evening will reflect the breadth of Tilson Thomas's musical imagination, his passion for artistic discovery, and the lasting and profound relationships he cultivated throughout his career. Through a mix of personal tributes and anecdotes, archival footage and recordings, and performances of iconic repertoire, all drawn from a lifetime of music-making, the concert will trace Michael Tilson Thomas's remarkable journey and illuminate the indelible mark left by his 25-year tenure leading the San Francisco Symphony. Under his leadership, he helped the Orchestra achieve artistic acclaim, expand its global reach, and champion contemporary and American music, while reimagining how orchestras can connect with audiences and communities.
San Francisco Symphony CEO Matthew Spivey said, "Michael didn't just lead this orchestra. He reimagined what an orchestra could be, and he did it here, with these musicians, for this city. Working alongside him shaped how all of us understand our purpose. His loss in April was deeply felt, but his influence is woven into the San Francisco Symphony at every level, and it will be for generations. On October 2 we get to do the thing Michael loved most: gather, listen, and celebrate together. That so many of his friends, collaborators, and students are coming to make music in his honor tells you everything about the man and the bonds he built."
read more
~~~
the San Francisco Symphony honors the life, artistry, and enduring legacy of Michael Tilson Thomas with a special memorial concert celebrating one of the most transformative figures in the Orchestra's history and a beloved cultural figure in San Francisco and throughout the classical music world. A Concert for MTT will feature many of Tilson Thomas's longtime friends and collaborators, including conductors Teddy Abrams and Edwin Outwater, mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, vocalist Audra McDonald, and pianists Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Yuja Wang, alongside the San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Symphony Chorus and other guests to be announced.
The evening will reflect the breadth of Tilson Thomas's musical imagination, his passion for artistic discovery, and the lasting and profound relationships he cultivated throughout his career. Through a mix of personal tributes and anecdotes, archival footage and recordings, and performances of iconic repertoire, all drawn from a lifetime of music-making, the concert will trace Michael Tilson Thomas's remarkable journey and illuminate the indelible mark left by his 25-year tenure leading the San Francisco Symphony. Under his leadership, he helped the Orchestra achieve artistic acclaim, expand its global reach, and champion contemporary and American music, while reimagining how orchestras can connect with audiences and communities.
San Francisco Symphony CEO Matthew Spivey said, "Michael didn't just lead this orchestra. He reimagined what an orchestra could be, and he did it here, with these musicians, for this city. Working alongside him shaped how all of us understand our purpose. His loss in April was deeply felt, but his influence is woven into the San Francisco Symphony at every level, and it will be for generations. On October 2 we get to do the thing Michael loved most: gather, listen, and celebrate together. That so many of his friends, collaborators, and students are coming to make music in his honor tells you everything about the man and the bonds he built."
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