Renowned American conductor and composer Michael Tilson Thomas has died at 81. A leading American conductor for a half-century, he was one of the most distinguished American conductors of his generation.
Thomas was a galvanizing force in classical music as a conductor, composer, pianist, and evangelist. Throughout his career, he headed orchestras in Buffalo, Miami, London, and San Francisco.
He spent 25 years as the music director of the San Francisco Symphony, leading the orchestra from 1995 to 2020. His tenure helped establish the symphony's reputation as a world-class orchestra.
In 2021, Thomas was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, a type of brain cancer. He died Wednesday.