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Michael Tilson Thomas
59quotes
Full Name and Common Aliases
Michael Tilson Thomas
Birth and Death Dates
Born on December 28, 1944; still active in his career.
Nationality and Profession(s)
American conductor, pianist, musicologist, and composer.
Early Life
Michael Tilson Thomas was born in Los Angeles to Tony Award-winning director and playwright Pete Seeger's friend Norman Tilson and actress Helena Rubinstein. His mother, an opera singer, exposed him to classical music from a young age. He began taking piano lessons at the age of four and went on to study at the University of California, Berkeley.
Major Accomplishments
Tilson Thomas's professional career spans over five decades. Notably, he has held positions as principal guest conductor with the London Symphony Orchestra and music director of the San Francisco Symphony. As a pianist, he has performed extensively with major orchestras worldwide.
Notable Works or Actions
As a composer, Tilson Thomas is recognized for his large-scale works that often incorporate elements of jazz and popular music. His notable compositions include _From the Top_ (1989) and _Mosaic_ (1996). Additionally, he has been an advocate for arts education and accessibility.
Impact and Legacy
Tilson Thomas's legacy extends beyond his professional accomplishments. He has been a driving force behind classical music's expansion into new communities and audiences. His ability to bridge gaps between traditional and popular genres has inspired countless musicians and composers.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Tilson Thomas is widely quoted for his thought-provoking insights on the importance of arts education, diversity in the classical music world, and the intersection of music and culture. His legacy serves as a testament to the power of innovation and collaboration in shaping the musical landscape.
As a leading figure in contemporary classical music, Michael Tilson Thomas's work continues to inspire new generations of musicians and audiences alike. Through his compositions, performances, and advocacy efforts, he has left an indelible mark on the world of music.
Quotes by Michael Tilson Thomas
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This extraordinary group has absolutely captivated my imagination, knocked my socks off – what more can I say?
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When I was a kid, three years old, I couldn’t walk by the piano without reaching up and trying to play a few notes on it. There are kids who are just drawn to listening to music and dancing to it and trying to conduct.
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But without the experience of actually singing or playing these things yourself, you don’t have the same kind of involvement or understanding of what these musical moves mean. And that is a very big problem in addressing the future of music.
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One of my central maxims is how a major part of what a conductor tries to do is get a large group of people to agree on where “now” actually is.
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The first year I started in San Francisco, there was an American work on every program and there’s been a lot of music by living composers and gradually that was part of the process of getting the audience really to trust me.
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I think music needs to be presented in a way so that kids can grasp songs, dances, simple music that’s associated with some particular defining moment in human experience.
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In earlier times, so many people sang much more. You know as a kid you’d go to some kind of religious training and or summer camp or whatever it was and you’d learn to sing a lot of songs.
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And what classical music does best and must always do more, is to show this kind of transformation of moods, to show a very wide psychological voyage. And I think that’s something that we as classical musicians have underestimated.
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They are representations of many shared hours of collaboration between us all. That’s the real nature of the relationship the orchestra and I are trying to build.
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