Months after his passing, the spirit of Michael Tilson Thomas returned to Davies Symphony Hall on Oct. 2, 2026, for a 14-part tribute titled A Concert for MTT,
Conducted by Edwin Outwater and Teddy Abrams, the packed evening showcased the broad tapestry of repertoire and personal interests championed by Michael Tilson Thomas during his 25 seasons as music director of the San Francisco Symphony.
The program opened with John Adams’s propulsive Short Ride in a Fast Machine, conducted by the 39-year-old Abrams. Symphony CEO Matthew Spivey opened the evening by highlighting Tilson Thomas’s 50-year romantic bond with Joshua Robison, who became his husband in 2014 and predeceased him by 14 months. Archival images and videos, assembled by Adam Larsen, projected high above both sides of the stage throughout the night to showcase scenes from the conductor’s life.
Musical Tributes from Wang, Thibaudet, and McDonald
Pianist Yuja Wang performed the Canzone
from Samuel Barber’s piano concerto, dressed in a blue color theme honoring the late conductor. Abrams followed with two movements from Charles Ives’s New England Holidays Symphony, a canon championed by Tilson Thomas. Edwin Outwater later took the podium to lead the Adagio from Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G Major, featuring pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet. Vocalist Audra McDonald sang George Gershwin, accompanied by jazz guitarist Bruce Forman, alongside Leonard Bernstein selections with the orchestra.
Jamie Bernstein recalled her father Leonard Bernstein’s early mentorship of Tilson Thomas. The San Francisco Symphony Chorus, led by Jenny Wong, performed a movement from Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms before intermission and opened the second half with Meredith Monk’s Panda Chant II. Later, Renée Fleming appeared as a surprise guest to sing Richard Strauss’s Morgen!
while Outwater led the Andante moderato from Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 6.
Premieres and Personal Reminiscences
Pianist John Wilson delivered the world premiere of Tilson Thomas’s luminescent etude Constancy. Mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke performed Ich lebe mein Leben
from Meditations on Rilke, a song cycle that won the Symphony a Grammy in 2021. Piccolo player Catherine Payne shared memories of Tilson Thomas’s rehearsals, echoing his frequent direction to project music to the third balcony. Another world premiere, Mason Bates’s setting of a poem by Tilson Thomas’s father Ted Thomas titled If you listen, there’s a song,
was sung by Cooke and accompanied by pianist Jeremy Denk.
The memorial concert concluded with The Promise of Living
from Aaron Copland’s The Tender Land. Several soloists returned to the stage wearing jerseys emblazoned with MTT 25,
closing an evening that celebrated a lasting musical legacy.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Tribute Concert
Who conducted A Concert for MTT at Davies Symphony Hall?
The 14-part program was shared by conductors Edwin Outwater and Teddy Abrams, leading the San Francisco Symphony on Oct. 2, 2026.
Which guest artists performed during the tribute?
Performers included pianists Yuja Wang, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, and Jeremy Denk, vocalists Audra McDonald, Renée Fleming, and Sasha Cooke, alongside jazz guitarist Bruce Forman.
What world premieres were featured on the program?
The concert featured the world premiere of Tilson Thomas’s piano etude Constancy, performed by John Wilson, and Mason Bates’s song setting If you listen, there’s a song,
sung by Sasha Cooke.
Worth a look