– Legendary conductor Seiji Ozawa dies at 88, leaves unforgettable legacy
– Seiji Ozawa unforgettable conductor dies, leaves legendary legacy.
Renowned Conductor Seiji Ozawa Passes Away at 88
TOKYO (AP) — Seiji Ozawa, the iconic Japanese conductor who mesmerized audiences with his dynamic performances during his three-decade tenure with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, has died at the age of 88, according to his management office. Ozawa, known for his distinctive mop of salt-and-pepper hair, led the BSO from 1973 to 2002, making him the longest-serving conductor in the orchestra’s history. From 2002 to 2010, he served as the music director of the Vienna State Opera.
A Life Committed to Music
Ozawa, who passed away at his home in Tokyo, succumbed to heart failure, as reported by his office, Veroza Japan. Despite his age, he remained actively involved in the music scene, particularly in his homeland. He founded the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival, a renowned music and opera festival in Japan, where he served as the artistic director and founder. In 2016, his co-founded orchestra, the Saito Kinen Orchestra, won the Grammy for best opera recording for Ravel’s “L’Enfant et Les Sortileges (The Child and the Spells).”
In 2022, Ozawa conducted his Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival for the first time in three years to commemorate its 30th anniversary. Little did anyone know that this would be his final public performance. That same year, he conducted the Saito Kinen Orchestra in a historic live performance of Beethoven’s “Egmont” Overture for Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata at the International Space Station, in collaboration with the Japan Aerospace and Exploration Agency.
Ozawa’s deep belief in the power of music to unite people and transcend boundaries was evident when he stated, “Music can link the hearts of people — transcending words, borders, religion, and politics. It is my hope that through music, we can be reminded that we are all of the same human race living on the same planet. And that we are united.”
An Influential Legacy
Ozawa’s impact on the Boston Symphony Orchestra was immense. During his tenure, he handpicked 74 out of 104 musicians, attracting renowned performers such as Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman. He also played a significant role in transforming the symphony into the world’s largest-budget orchestra, with its endowment growing from under $10 million in the early 1970s to over $200 million in 2002.
Even after leaving the BSO, Ozawa’s return in 2006 was met with thunderous applause and a nearly six-minute ovation, showcasing the deep admiration and respect he commanded.
A Life Devoted to Music
Born on September 1, 1935, to Japanese parents in Manchuria, China, during the era of Japanese occupation, Ozawa’s musical journey began after his family returned to Japan in 1944. He studied under the tutelage of Hideo Saito, a revered cellist and conductor known for popularizing Western music in Japan. Ozawa held Saito in high regard and went on to establish the Saito Kinen Orchestra in 1984, later founding the Saito Kinen Festival, renamed the Seiji Ozawa Matsumoto Festival in 2015.
Ozawa’s talent quickly gained recognition when he arrived in the United States in 1960. He caught the attention of Leonard Bernstein, who appointed him as the assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic for the 1961-62 season. Ozawa’s New York debut with the Philharmonic at the age of 25 was met with glowing reviews, with The New York Times proclaiming that “the music came brilliantly alive under his direction.”
Prior to his time with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Ozawa led various ensembles, including the San Francisco Orchestra and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Throughout his career, he championed the cause of showcasing the talent of Japanese performers and breaking barriers in the international music scene.
A Revered Figure in Boston
Ozawa’s star quality and crossover appeal extended beyond the concert hall. He was an avid fan of the Boston Red Sox and the New England Patriots sports teams, endearing him to the locals. Catherine Peterson, executive director of Arts Boston, once described him as the embodiment of the Boston Symphony, stating that “for most people in this community, Seiji personifies the Boston Symphony.”
His impact on the Tanglewood Music Center, a prestigious music academy in Lenox, Massachusetts, cannot be overstated. Ozawa played a pivotal role in elevating its status to international prominence, leading to the naming of a 1,200-seat music hall in his honor in 1994.
A Complex Legacy
Ozawa’s time at Tanglewood was not without controversy. In 1996, he made the decision, as the music director and ultimate authority, to take the revered academy in new directions. This resulted in the ousting of Leon Fleisher, the longtime director of Tanglewood, and the departure of several prominent teachers in protest.
While Ozawa received rave reviews for his performances in Europe and Japan, critics in the United States grew increasingly disappointed during the later years of his tenure with the BSO. In 2002, The New York Times critic Anthony Tommasini commented that Ozawa had become “an embodiment of the entrenched music director who has lost touch.”
However, despite the mixed reception from critics and musicians, the city of Boston honored Ozawa on his 85th birthday in 2020 by designating September 1 as “Seiji Ozawa Day.”
A Lasting Impact
Ozawa’s contributions to the world of music were recognized with two Emmy awards for his TV work with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He held honorary doctorates of music from the University of Massachusetts, the New England Conservatory of Music, and Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts. In 2015, he was one of the five honorees at the annual Kennedy Center Honors for his significant contributions to American culture through the arts.
In his later years, Ozawa’s health began to decline, leading to the cancellation of some appearances. In 2015-2016, he was unable to make his long-awaited return to the Tanglewood music festival, the summer home of the Boston Symphony, due to health reasons.
The news of Ozawa’s passing has elicited an outpouring of condolences from around the world, including from orchestras in Vienna and Berlin, fellow musicians, and the residents of Matsumoto.
The Boston Symphony Orchestra fondly remembers Maestro Ozawa as not only a legendary conductor but also as a passionate mentor who generously offered his time to education and master classes. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Chairman, Daniel Froschauer, expressed deep sorrow and stated that Ozawa had left behind a great artistic legacy. Yutaka Sado, a Japanese maestro who studied under Ozawa, described him as his inspiration and expressed his inability to catch up with his mentor’s greatness.
Ozawa’s funeral was a private affair, attended only by close relatives, as per the family’s wishes for a quiet farewell.
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– Legendary conductor Seiji Ozawa
– Unforgettable legacy.
