A Lifelong Encore: The 50-Year Love Story of Tilson Thomas and Robison

A tribute to conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and Joshua Robison, a 50-year partnership that began in Southern California, blossomed into a powerful professional and personal union (with Robison guiding his career as producer and fundraiser), and helped shape major orchestras such as the New World Symphony and the San Francisco Symphony. The couple built a loving, inclusive family life, supported LGBTQ+ outreach (including a Pride Concert protest against discriminatory anti-trans bills), and left a lasting cultural legacy after Joshua’s death in February 2026 and Michael’s death two months later.