Sir Andrew Davis, the internationally recognized conductor, has passed away at the age of 80 after a battle with leukemia.

Sir Andrew was born February 2nd, 1944 in Ashridge, Hertfordshire, England to Robert J. and Florence Joyce Davis.

He studied conducting in Rome with Franco Ferrara, after studying at at the Royal College of Music and King’s College, Cambridge – where he graduated in 1967.

Sir Andrew would become associate conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, starting in 1970. However, he became well known after becoming the Music Director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO), a post he held from 1975 to 1988. Following his departure from the TSO, he was named Conductor Laureate, a post he held for the rest of his life.

Following his time in Toronto, Sir Andrew became the Music Director of the Glyndebourne Opera, a position he held from 1988 to 2000. It was in Glyndebourne where he met his third wife, soprano Gianna Rolandi.

Sir Andrew was also famed for conducting the Last Night of The Proms with the BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBC SO.) He served as the Chief Conductor of the BBC SO from 1989 to 2000, then became its’ Conductor Laureate. During his time with the BBC SO, he restored the traditional ‘Conductor’s Speech’ during the Last Night of The Proms concert, including mentioning the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales, Mother Teresa, and Sir Georg Solti in 1997. He would conduct the Last Night of the Proms concerts 11 times, the last time in 2018.

Sir Andrew was Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, starting in 2000. He moved to Chicago following his appointment with the Lyric Opera. He would remain in those posts until 2021. He also served as Chief Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra from June 2012 to December 2019.

He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1992, and a Knight Bachelor in the 1999 New Year Honours.

Sir Andrew passed away in Chicago, Illinois on April 20th, 2024.