British-born conductor Bramwell Tovey has died at age 69. Maestro Tovey, beloved across Canada because of his work with Canadian orchestras and opera companies, had been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2019. He passed away one day after his 69th birthday.
Tovey was Principal Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra, as well as artistic director of the Rhode Island Philharmonic, and principal guest conductor of the Orchestre symphonique de Québec. The London-born Maestro had been set to begin his first season as the music director of the Sarasota Orchestra in Florida in the fall.
Bill Chandler, Director of BBC Concert Orchestra, commented in a statement. “The BBC Concert Orchestra family is deeply saddened to lose Bramwell Tovey, our Principal Conductor for the past four years and dear friend for many more. He was a musicians’ conductor whose warmth, sense of humour and artistic leadership will be sorely missed.”
“We are all heartbroken,” Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra Executive Director David Beauchesne said in a statement. “Bramwell Tovey was a dear friend and colleague, and a person of uncommon ability, warmth, humor, sincerity and kindness. The youngest student and most revered guest artist received the same level of his care and attention.”
Tovey’s Canadian connections
Tovey spent decades working with Canadian orchestras and organizations, helping to build relationships and raise the profile of classical music in the communities where he worked.
- From 1989 to 2000, Tovey was the music director of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, where he established the WSO’s renowned New Music Festival;
- He was the music director of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) from 2000 to 2018;
- His composition Requiem for a Charred Skull won a Juno Award in 2003 for best classical composition;
- Recorded with the VSO and the CBC, Tovey, along with soloist James Ehnes, won the Grammy for Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with orchestra) in 2008 for their album of violin concertos by Samuel Barber, Erich Wolfgang Korngold and William Walton;
- He wrote Songs of the Paradise Saloon, for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and trumpet soloist Andrew McCandless in 2009;
- In 2013, he was appointed an honorary officer of the Order of Canada;
- Tovey became artistic director of Calgary Opera in January 2019, where he planned two seasons before leaving because of health reasons shortly after his diagnosis;
- Calgary Opera commissioned his opera The Inventor, written with playwright John Murrell.
Tovey was a pianist and tuba player, as well as a conductor. In a statement to media, Joseph McKenna, President and CEO of the Sarasota Orchestra, said Tovey had been playing an active role in preparations for the upcoming season as recently as two weeks ago.
Bramwell Tovey died at home in Barrington, Rhode Island with his family, and leaves partner Verena De Neovel, as well as children Ben, Jessica and Emmeline, and grandchildren.
The Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra has announced that their 2022-23 season will be dedicated to Tovey’s memory.
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