Michael Tilson Thomas’ era at San Francisco Symphony
1974
Michael Tilson Thomas makes his first appearance with the San Francisco Symphony, conducting music by Mahler and Mozart.
1980
Thomas leads the orchestra’s Beethoven Festival, which he will do again in 1989.
1993
Thomas is announced as the Symphony’s 11th music director, succeeding Herbert Blomstedt.
1995
Thomas starts his first season as music director, beginning the gala opening concert with the commissioned world premiere of “A Parade for MTT,” and going on to include at least one piece by an American composer on every subscription program. The season concludes with a festival devoted to American music, with a guest appearance by members of the Grateful Dead.
1996
The Symphony releases its first CD under Thomas, a Grammywinning live recording of music from Prokofiev’s “Romeo and Juliet.” It will be the first of some three dozen recordings they release together.
2000
The American Music festival, now known as American Mavericks, captures worldwide attention for its combination of inventive programming and lively performances.
2001
Thomas and the Symphony undertake a complete Mahler recording project on the inhouse label SFS Media, beginning with performances of the Sixth Symphony recorded in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, and concluding a decade later with a set of the composer’s orchestral songs.
2004
Start of “Keeping Score,” the innovative multimedia education project that comprises radio and television programs, DVDs, inschool education programs and a website.
2010
President Barack Obama awards Thomas the National Medal of the Arts.
2014
The experimental concert space and performance series SoundBox gets under way.
2017
Thomas announces his decision to step down at the end of 2019-20 season, after 25 years as music director, to become music director laureate.