Grammy Award-winning conductor, composer, and pianist Michael Tilson Thomas has died at the age of 81.
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The celebrated musician, who spent 25 years as music director of the San Francisco Symphony, passed away on Wednesday, April 22.
Doctors diagnosed him with glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive form of brain cancer, five years earlier.
Michael Tilson Thomas Dies at 81 After Battle With Brain Cancer
The news of his passing was confirmed in a statement shared on Instagram.
"It is with deep sadness that we let you know of Michael Tilson Thomas's passing on April 22, 2026," the statement read. "In 2021, Michael was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme, an aggressive type of brain cancer."
"Through his illness he continued to make music—a testament to his legacy as an artist and communicator."
The statement added, "He was preceded in death by his husband Joshua Robison."
Thomas and Robison married in 2014 after nearly four decades together. Robison died in February.
Loved ones and family surrounded Thomas at the time of his passing.
The statement adds that both Thomas and Robison leave behind their sisters, nieces, and nephews.
Legendary Career Leaves Lasting Impact on Classical Music
Over the course of his career, Thomas earned 12 Grammy Awards, with his most recent win coming in 2011.
He also received the National Medal of Arts and earned recognition as a Kennedy Center Honoree.
His final public appearance came on April 26, 2025, when he conducted the San Francisco Symphony during an 80th birthday celebration concert.
"The world will remember his brilliant mind, limitless imagination and his creative and collaborative spirit," the New World Symphony said in a statement, via PEOPLE. "At heart, MTT was a creative risk-taker, powerful communicator and independent thinker.
"His fearless explorations provided context that brought relevance, intimacy and urgency to our relationship with music. He has had a profound influence on all of us and on the art form we so dearly love."
Thomas co-founded the New World Symphony in 1987, serving as its artistic director and helping shape generations of musicians.
The Miami Beach-based academy has supported the careers of more than 1,300 alumni.
Across his distinguished career, Thomas made more than 120 recordings, including acclaimed interpretations of works by Bach, Mahler, Beethoven, Prokofiev, and Stravinsky.
