MTT, as he was universally known by his friends and colleagues, first conducted the LSO in 1970 when he stepped in at the last minute for Gennady Rozhdestvensky. He immediately became a regular guest, and 17 years later, in 1987, was appointed LSO Principal Conductor, taking up the position and succeeding Claudio Abbado in September 1988.
His arrival brought a renaissance for the Orchestra. His style of leadership was to devote himself totally to the organisation and its musicians, building musical and personal relationships which were to last a lifetime. Artistically he was an inspired programmer, devising thematic series that caught the imagination of London’s discerning audiences – The Flight of the Firebird, The Gershwin Years and Debussy, Painter of Dreams being just three which produced blockbuster audiences at the Barbican.
MTT’s communication skills were second to none. Whether talking to journalists, young people, highly knowledgeable audience members, or his own musicians, MTT knew exactly how to open up the music. His ‘Discovery’ series of concerts – in which he explained a major work to the audience in the first half and performed it in the second half – were soon taken up by the BBC.
His tenure coincided with the final years of Leonard Bernstein – his close friend and mentor – who had struck up a close relationship with the LSO in the mid-1980s and held the position of LSO President. MTT and Bernstein shared many similar qualities, especially their love of connecting people with music. This reached its peak with the founding of the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan, in 1990 – the final months of Bernstein’s life – which MTT and Bernstein based on the Tanglewood Summer School model, and which laid the foundations for the newly fledged LSO Discovery. The Festival continues to this day. MTT was also co-founder in 1987 of the New World Symphony, based in Miami Beach, Florida, which is ‘America’s Orchestral Academy’, preparing young musicians for leadership roles in orchestras and ensembles worldwide, which is held up as a shining example of music education and lauded for its innovative use of technology.
In 1995 MTT took up the post of Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony, which he held for a remarkable 25 years, becoming their Music Director Laureate in 2020. It is a measure of the esteem with which he was held at the LSO that he was immediately given the title of LSO Principal Guest Conductor in 1995, which ensured his regular appearances with the Orchestra continued. In 2015, for his 70th birthday and the 45th anniversary of his first appearance with the LSO, the Orchestra and MTT embarked upon a series of concerts in London and on the West Coast of the US – including his home in San Francisco, where the concerts were rapturously received – and a special gala appearance at Buckingham Palace in the presence of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
In 2016, MTT accepted the post of LSO Conductor Laureate and visited regularly in subsequent years, bringing his customary thrilling programmes and sold-out halls. His final concerts with the LSO took place in 2024, memorable performances of Mahler’s Second and Third Symphonies, the former in celebration of his 80th birthday.
For the LSO’s musicians, what stood out the most was Michael’s connection with them. Upon entering backstage, he would always say hello to everyone, always knew everyone’s name and would always seek out any new faces to find out who they were. He cared deeply for everyone and made time for those who needed it. He and his late husband Joshua, who was also a great friend of the Orchestra, made a special point of throwing parties for the musicians when on tour, welcoming them as friends.
We extend our sympathy and condolences to all of Michael’s family, friends and colleagues around the world and send them our love at this sad time.
Dame Kathryn McDowell, Managing Director of the London Symphony Orchestra, said: ‘MTT was ahead of his time. In every area of music-making he was innovative, inquisitive, curious and imaginative. As a composer as well as a conductor, he understood the creative process and always championed the work of fellow composers and artists wanting to develop new ideas. He had an immense ability to describe music in ways that ordinary people could understand, and was a pioneer in different forms of concert presentation. He relished the opportunities that the digital world presented and created many dynamic projects, not least his online archive project in his 80th year.
MTT was incredibly loyal to his musicians and deeply concerned for their welfare. He was also extremely generous in supporting the organisations that meant so much to him. He has been associated with the LSO for almost 60 years, and was a much-loved and respected member of the LSO family. He will be deeply missed.’
Sarah Quinn, Sub-Principal Second Violin and Chair of the London Symphony Orchestra, said: ‘I first worked with MTT nearly 30 years ago, when I was a nervous student sitting at the back of the second violin section. During a rehearsal of Mahler 5, he sought me out in the break to introduce himself – a gesture that perfectly captured his warmth, curiosity and humanity.
MTT was always deeply engaged, not only with the music but with the people making it. Playing under him was exhilarating; his energy was utterly infectious, and even after the most demanding programmes he could be found improvising at the piano or singing with abandon. He and his beloved husband Joshua brought that same joy to life on tour, creating unforgettable moments of togetherness. MTT was adored by the LSO, and he will be missed enormously by us all.’
