Michael Tilson Thomas becomes our seventh member of the Drop 40 to fall, and second biggest hit of the year so far. Born in California and descended from a long line of artistically oriented ancestors, his initial musical focus was the piano before moving on into conducting and composing. In terms of style, he was a big fan of modern American composers, though seems to have made a special allowance for Romantic era Gustav Mahler, having recorded all nine of his symphonies with the San Francisco Symphony.
He would become most associated with three orchestras in his career. The first was one he founded himself: the New World Symphony. This academy was based in Florida and he stayed as the artistic director for the rest of his career. After a seven year stint as the London Symphony Orchestra’s principal conductor he then settled as the music director of the aforementioned SFS, retiring after twenty two years at the helm.
He was first diagnosed with a glioblastoma in 2021 and went on to give the grim disease a hell of a fight. A few teams started to take a punt on him from 2023 onwards and he became a mainstay on the Drop 40 from 2024, presumably once everyone else not as well-versed in American orchestra conductors actually learned who he was. Myself shamelessly included.
It was a valiant five years that he battled in the end, even outliving his husband of fifty years by a couple of months, but after a final public performance in 2025 the end has come at the age of 81. Shout-out to The Dead Kennedys who finally get their Kennedy Honor joker on the fourth try.
An American Journey’s End…
Michael Tilson Thomas, Drop 40 #13
December 21 1944 – April 22 2026
79 Teams 💀💀💀💀💀💀+40 = 9 Points
2 Teams 🃏 = 18 Points