Sir Andrew Davis CBE, 1944–2024

Mon 22 Apr, 2024

All of us at the LPO are so sad to hear of the death of Sir Andrew Davis CBE.

A master of so many differing musical styles, Sir Andrew will always be remembered fondly for the warmth and humour he combined with seemingly eternal youthfulness and, of course, superb musicianship.

Andrew Davis first conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra at Glyndebourne in 1973, stepping in to conduct performances of Richard Strauss’s Capriccio for an indisposed John Pritchard. He made his concert debut with the LPO that autumn and conducted the Orchestra most years until his departure for Chicago in 2000.

The relationship was cemented by his period as Music Director of Glyndebourne from 1989–2000, where the operas he conducted reflected his broad tastes and skills – Richard Strauss, Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Janáček, as well as Berg’s Lulu and Tippett’s New Year. He returned in later years for Rusalka and Billy Budd. We were all looking forward so much to his return to conduct the LPO at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall at the end of November 2024 and future touring plans together.

Our thoughts are with his son Edward, and the rest of his family.

The Orchestra’s performance of Wagner’s Götterdämmerung with Vladimir Jurowski on 27 April 2024 will be dedicated to Sir Andrew’s memory.