As the music soared, so did hopes for healing and a cure.

SFCM's largest concert hall hosted a special fundraising celebration concert October 8 coinciding with the release of GRACE: The Music of Michael Tilson Thomas.

In celebration of Tilson's 80th birthday, PENTATONE Music, one of SFCM’s Alliance partners, released GRACE: The Music of Michael Tilson Thomas, a collection spanning more than five decades of MTT’s compositional career. The four-CD collection also includes an extensive book containing composer’s notes, original essays, and a timeline of archival photos chronicling MTT’s life as a pianist, conductor, composer, recording artist, and teacher. 

MTT speaks ahead of a performance by students and faculty.

One-hundred percent of the proceeds from each ticket purchase went to support brain cancer research at the UCSF Brain Tumor Center. MTT is currently fighting a rare form of brain cancer. Each ticket purchased for this event included a copy of GRACE, part of which was recorded at SFCM, and in total the concert raised more than $32,000.

MTT performs in the Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall.

“GRACE beautifully reveals Michael’s genius through 18 eclectic works that are powerfully compelling and unique,” SFCM President David H. Stull said. “His endless imagination immediately captures our attention, but his empathy, humor and humanity remind us why his contribution to music is so important. We are honored to work with such a phenomenal team in bringing this project to life.”

SFCM student Yolanda Zheng.

MTT joined SFCM’s faculty as Distinguished Professor of Music back in April and has since returned to the Conservatory for coaching sessions with chamber music students and private lessons with students. 

In addition to MTT the concert also featured performances by John Wilson, Demarre McGill, Lisa Vroman, and SFCM students and faculty.