In Wednesday’s (7/1) San Francisco Chronicle, Tony Bravo writes, “As befitting one of the superstars of the classical music world, the public memorial for Michael Tilson Thomas offers a program filled with illustrious friends and close collaborators alongside the San Francisco Symphony and San Francisco Symphony Chorus. Conductors Teddy Abrams and Edwin Outwater, mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, vocalist Audra McDonald and pianists Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Yuja Wang are performing in San Francisco Symphony’s ‘A Concert for MTT’ set for Oct. 2, at Davies Symphony Hall…. Thomas died in April [of this year] at age 81…. The Symphony also announced that in honor of Thomas’ half-century relationship with the orchestra, the board of governors established the Michael Tilson Thomas Legacy Fund, noting that the fund is restricted to general orchestra support, including orchestra compensation and other items that fall under the annual orchestra budget. Symphony board of governors Chair Priscilla Geeslin told the Chronicle that Thomas’ legacy ‘will endure through our incredible musicians … With the MTT Legacy Fund … we wanted to create an opportunity, in Michael’s name, for our community to come together and support the Orchestra that Michael helped build.’ ”
