And at the same time, you are of course a performer, but it's very important that you understand that your role as a performer is to get the best performance from those wonderful colleagues that you have the chance to work with.

1976 Conducting the Cleveland Boys Choir and Cleveland Orchestra Chorus performing Orff: Carmina Burana. 2003 Conducting the San Francisco Symphony performing Mahler: Symphony No. Quotations
Responding to an interviewer's question about favorite composers:


Awards
Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Performance
2013 Conducting San Francisco Symphony performing Adams: Harmonielehre & Short Ride in a Fast Machine
2006 Conducting San Francisco Symphony performing Mahler: Symphony No.

Michael Tilson Thomas (born December 21 1944) is an American conductor pianist and composer.