British conductor Andrew Davis has died aged 80. The British news agency PA reported this on Sunday, citing his agent.
Davis was one of the longest-serving chief conductors of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, leading it from 1989 to 2000. He was an important force in British music for decades and “a friend to us all,” the orchestra said on Platform X (formerly Twitter). “He will be greatly missed.”
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Davis, who was able to call himself Sir after receiving an honor from the royal family, was also honorary conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. The BBC recalled his humorous performances at the classical series BBC Proms, which takes place every summer at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
The Royal Opera House also paid tribute to Davis, who had also conducted at the Bayreuth Festival. In his career spanning five decades, he was the artistic director of some of the world’s most important opera and symphony orchestras.