Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas announces recurrence of brain tumor

Renowned conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, aged 80, has revealed that he is facing a recurrence of his brain tumor and plans to take the stage for his final performances in April.

In August 2021, Thomas shared that he had undergone surgery to remove a glioblastoma. Following the procedure, he returned to conducting with a limited schedule and eventually stepped down as the artistic director of the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida, after an impressive 34-year tenure. He conducted the inaugural program of the New York Philharmonic’s subscription series last September, marking his return to the podium.

Reflecting on his journey since the initial diagnosis, Thomas noted, “The 3½ years since the initial diagnosis have been a special time in my life, filled with friends, family, and music. They have also been challenging as I had to undergo a second operation and manage complications from the treatments that have held the tumor at bay.” He acknowledged that while there are treatment options available, the outcome remains uncertain.

Thomas has an extensive history in the music world, having served as the music director for the Buffalo Philharmonic from 1971 to 1979 and for the San Francisco Symphony from 1995 to 2020.

His upcoming conducting engagements include performances with the New World Symphony on March 29 and 30, as well as April 5 and 6. He will then conduct the San Francisco Symphony on April 26 in a celebration of his belated 80th birthday.

“At that point, we all get to say the old show business expression, ‘It’s a wrap,’” Thomas expressed. He elaborated, “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.”