'An unthinkable loss': Vancouver Symphony Orchestra mourns death of longtime music director
Maestro Bramwell Tovey, the longest-serving music director in the history of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, has died.
Tovey held the position from 2000 to 2018, when he was named the VSO's music director emeritus, the orchestra said in a statement mourning his death.
"Under his visionary leadership, the VSO won Grammy and Juno awards, and embarked on ambitious tours of China, Korea, the United States, and Canada," the orchestra's statement reads.
"His commitment to music education led to the establishment of the VSO School of Music, now in its 12th year, and The Tovey Centre for Music. This legacy continues to impact thousands of students every year, nurturing musical appreciation and generations of emerging artists."
Born in East London, U.K., Tovey most recently served as the principal conductor and artistic director of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra.
He died Tuesday at his home in Barrington, R.I., surrounded by family, one day after his 69th birthday.
Tovey was diagnosed with a form of sarcoma in May 2019 and underwent surgery at Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in June 2021 that briefly left him cancer-free, according to the VSO's statement. The cancer returned in January.
“The world has lost an incredible musician, Maestro, educator, activist and giant of a human being," said Angela Elster, president and CEO of the VSO and the VSO School of Music, in the statement.
“Bramwell Tovey’s legacy as music director of the VSO changed the landscape of music, arts and culture in British Columbia."
The VSO said it has established the Bramwell Tovey Memorial Fund to continue his important work, and invited donations in his honour on its website or by phone at 604-876-3434. https://vancouversymphony.ca/bramwell.
The orchestra said it will announce further plans to honour Tovey's legacy in the future.
"His passing is an unthinkable loss to our sector, to the VSO and VSO School of Music, and to all whose lives he touched so deeply,” Elster said.
With files from The Associated Press.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. teen with Canada's first human case of avian flu in critical condition, Dr. Bonnie Henry says
The teenager who is sick with the first-ever human case of avian influenza acquired in Canada is in hospital in critical condition, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Tuesday.
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will lead new ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ in Trump administration
President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency” in his second administration.
Here's why thieves may be stealing butter in Canada
The case of the missing butter remains a mystery, but some have ideas on what's behind the unusual crimes.
Former B.C. premier John Horgan dies at 65
Former B.C. premier John Horgan, a popular leader renowned for his affable personality and dedicated public service, has died
Alleged serial killer previously pled guilty to 2018 attack on Waterloo, Ont. bus
The woman accused of killing three people in three days in three Ontario cities also previously admitted to attacking strangers on buses in the Region of Waterloo.
Air Canada to add new routes to U.S., Europe and North Africa in summer 2025
Getting to destinations in the U.S., Europe and North Africa is about to get easier, as Air Canada announced it will be increasing flights to a number of new destinations this summer.
Body found in Montreal park identified as cryptocurrency influencer
The body of a man that was found in a park in the Ahunstic-Cartierville borough last month has been identified as cryptocurrency influencer Kevin Mirshahi.
History in Halifax is slowly being wiped off the map: study
Saint Mary's University archeologist Jonathan Fowler is sounding an alarm with a new study. According to Fowler, the centuries-old architecture that adds to Halifax’s heritage and historic vibe is slowly being wiped away as the city grows.
2-year-old gorilla 'Eyare' dies unexpectedly at Calgary Zoo
A young gorilla at the Calgary Zoo has died. The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo announced a member of its western lowland gorilla troop passed away unexpectedly, in a news release Tuesday.