Mother Knows Best

In your cover story on Michael Tilson Thomas, you mentioned that “his schoolteacher mom hoped he’d be anything but a performer” (“Return of the Prodigious Son,” by Paul Lieberman, March 5). I have a much different impression of his mother’s opinion.

I was one of Roberta Thomas’ history students at Mulholland Junior High in the early ‘70s. On an almost daily basis, she would proudly mention that her son, Michael Tilson Thomas (she never did use a shortened version, but always his professional name), was very talented and was on his way to be a famous conductor. As typical preteens, we would roll our eyes and remind her that we had never heard of him. But it never made a dent in the pride she had in him.

Years later I attended a concert at the Hollywood Bowl that was being conducted by MTT. I saw his mother there and had a chance to talk with her. She was still beaming with pride and reminded me that she always knew he would be famous.

KATHLEEN MORRIS

Altadena