59 Quotes by Michael Tilson Thomas

One of my central maxims is how a major part of what a conductor tries to do is get a large group of people to agree on where “now” actually is.

But without the experience of actually singing or playing these things yourself, you don’t have the same kind of involvement or understanding of what these musical moves mean. And that is a very big problem in addressing the future of music.

When I was a kid, three years old, I couldn’t walk by the piano without reaching up and trying to play a few notes on it. There are kids who are just drawn to listening to music and dancing to it and trying to conduct.

This extraordinary group has absolutely captivated my imagination, knocked my socks off – what more can I say?

Conductors are performers.