
Seiji Ozawa conducting the Saito Kinen Orchestra in Britten's "War Requiem" at Carnegie Hall on Saturday night, December 18, 2010. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

After working with orchestras in Toronto, San Francisco and Singapore, in 1973 Ozawa became director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, a role he held for 29 years. While living there he made himself an integral part of the community, taking children’s music classes and being a regular at the games of the city’s many pro sports franchises. In 2020, Boston proclaimed his birthday, September 1, "Seiji Ozawa Day". The BSO, always well-regarded, became a powerhouse under Ozawa’s baton, releasing many well-regarded recordings, staging many world premieres, and winning several awards. He also nurtured orchestral music in Japan and organised an annual festival. He died on February 6 aged 88. — Agencies