Sir Colin Davis 1927-2013

14 April 2013, 22:21 | Updated: 15 April 2013, 11:04

It's been confirmed that the celebrated British conductor, Sir Colin Davis, has passed away at the age of 85.

A former orchestral clarinettist, studying at the Royal College of Music in London, Davis worked his way steadily to prominence as a conductor of much versatility and dynamism, building up a world reputation in the music of Mozart and Berlioz.

Davis was for many years The Royal Opera’s music director, and was a former holder of major posts at the BBC Symphony, Boston Symphony and Bavarian Radio Symphony orchestras.

He received a Knighthood in 1980 and began his tenure as the London Symphony Orchestra's longest serving Principal Conductor in 1995. 2007 saw him become the LSO's President, a post he occupied until his death.

Tributes from the classical music world have already started flooding in, with Tasmin Little, Paul Mealor, Alison Balsom and David Arnold among the hundreds who have already paid tribute to the British music legend.

"He was the most significant conductor of the last half-century", said Classic FM's David Mellor, "[and] was widely regarded as a conductor of exceptional capabilities across a whole range of music".

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