Sir Colin Davis

Sir Colin Davis was a celebrated British conductor. Formerly The Royal Opera’s music director, he also became the London Symphony Orchestra's longest serving Principal Conductor.

Davis was born on September 25th, 1927, in Weybridge. A former orchestral clarinetist, 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 he is a former holder of major posts at the BBC Symphony, Boston Symphony and Bavarian Radio Symphony orchestras.

From 1992-2006 he was the London Symphony Orchestra’s principal conductor, where he has happily developed the brand of spacious grandeur that he increasingly brings to his performances.

He is also a long-standing champion of modern composers, notably Michael Tippett. He became President of the LSO on 1 January 2007.

Sir Colin won a great deal of awards throughout his career including Classical Brit Awards and the Grammy Award in 2006 for Best Opera for his LSO Live recording of Verdi's Falstaff. He received a Knighthood in 1980.

Sir Colin Davis died aged 85 on 14th April 2013, leaving a huge legacy as a towering influence of British conducting.