The world changes when there's music in it.

- Michael Tilson Thomas

Classical music is an unbroken, living tradition that goes back over 1,000 years, and every one of those years has had something unique and powerful …

- Michael Tilson Thomas

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

- Michael Tilson Thomas

Being an American musician means being adventurous.

- Michael Tilson Thomas

You can't have Bach, Mozart and Beethoven as your favorite composers. They simply define what music is!

- Michael Tilson Thomas

Part of my big message with all this is that if you are alive, you know all you need to know about the message of classical music, because more than …

- 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.

- Michael Tilson Thomas

The big difference between human happiness and sadness? Thirty-seven freakin' vibrations.

- Michael Tilson Thomas

Classical music is a wonderful 1200 year-old tradition that witnesses everything that it has meant and what it means right now to be human.

- Michael Tilson Thomas