Michael Tilson Thomas conduct’s Britten’s ‘Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell’ to open his gala concert with the San Francisco Symphony at Davies Symphony Hall.

But Tilson Thomas has always been an arresting programmer, even in his 20s when he served as music director of the Ojai festival. “Roman Festivals” has long been a Tilson Thomas favorite.

Michael Tilson Thomas leaves the stage for the last time with Joshua Robison, Edwin Outwater and Teddy Abrams at the end of his 80th birthday celebration at Davies Symphony Hall, April 26, 2025.

With a recurrence of cancer, famed conductor Michael Tilson Thomas is ending his musical career. One of his final concerts is in Miami Beach, where he'll lead the orchestral academy he helped found.

Michael Tilson Thomas conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood, in Beethoven's 9th Symphony, the Ode to Joy, on Aug. 28, 2022. (Hilary Scott/Courtesy Boston Symphony Orchestra).

Michael Tilson Thomas conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood, in Beethoven's 9th Symphony, the Ode to Joy, on August 28, 2022. It was Tilson Thomas's last concert with the BSO ...

JUANA SUMMERS, HOST: Renowned conductor Michael Tilson Thomas is leading some of his final concerts. MTT, as he's long been known, has been battling brain cancer for the last four years.