Joshua Robison, the husband of conductor and music director Michael Tilson Thomas, died in his sleep Sunday night at his apartment in San Francisco. He was 79.
News of Robison’s passing was confirmed by a San Francisco Symphony spokesperson. A cause of death was been given. Robison had been in a long period of recovery from a spinal cord injury after suffering a fall at home last August.
Robison, full of energy and quick with a smile, was a constant presence at the San Francisco Symphony, and at civic and arts events in and around San Francisco. To Thomas, he served as a creative partner and source of support.
Joshua Robison, second from left, sits with Michael Tilson Thomas, Mayor London Breed, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and San Francisco Symphony Executive Director Matthew Spivey at a dedication ceremony for ‘MTT Way’ outside Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco in Dec. 15, 2023. (Courtesy San Francisco Symphony)
While Thomas was the music director and public face of the San Francisco Symphony from 1995–2020, “Joshua was the steady and indispensable force behind the scenes who helped make it all work,” said the Symphony’s board chair Priscilla Geeslin.
“Their partnership was extraordinary: Michael’s expansive artistic vision paired with Joshua’s insight, advocacy, and unwavering dedication. Joshua ensured that bold ideas became realities, that relationships were nurtured, and that the Symphony’s work resonated far beyond the stage,” Geeslin added.