Keith Lockhart, John Williams, Seiji Ozawa (c) Boston Symphony Orchestra

2024-02-17 – 19:20 h

Maestro Seiji Ozawa, Boston Symphony Orchestra’s beloved Music Director Laureate, and longest-serving conductor, holding the title of Music Director for 29 years (1973–2002), died on February 6, 2024, in Tokyo at the age of 88 years old.

 

Ozawa and Maestro John Williams became long-time friends while Williams was in charge of the Boston Pops (1980-1993). In the following video, Williams shares his memories of working with Ozawa:

 

Statement from John Williams:

“The sad news of Seiji Ozawa’s passing brings to a close the life of one of the 20th Century’s most luminous musical performers. The world has lost a great artist, and I have lost a treasured friend.

 

Seiji was our musical director of the Boston Symphony for twenty-nine wonderful years… years in which he brought to our brilliant orchestra a broadened expanse of repertoire and a heightened degree of technical luster.

 

All of our condolences to go his beautiful family, and we will always relish the memory of this extraordinary man who brought so much beauty and light into our world.”

 

You can read more here (A Tribute to Seiji Ozawa – Boston Symphony Orchestra):

https://www.bso.org/stories/a-tribute-to-seiji-ozawa