Bramwell Tovey Obituary – We are extremely saddened to announce the death of Bramwell Tovey, who passed away on July 12, 2022.His death news was made known through various tributes that was posted across the social media.
Bramwell Tovey Tributes
The world has lost a treasure. Thank you Bramwell Tovey for the blessing of your life, you changed mine and countless others. I am still only at the beginning of processing your loss. You will always be my hero.
For me, Bramwell’s biggest gift was how deeply present he was and I always (always!) felt completely seen and valued by him- I think a lot of people felt this way around him too. He was a champion for so many people and I am so lucky to have been his student. I had the extraordinary gift of covering for Bramwell in March with the Sarasota Orchestra and the energy of those rehearsals was something I’ll never forget. You had so much more to give, and I was so excited to be closer to you and learn from you in your next chapter. I will never forget your presence, viola jokes and human-ness and will forever be thankful for you have me given me. I miss you.
My love to Jessica Tovey, Emmeline Tovey, Adam Delbridge-Smith, Verena De Neovel his Beautiful partner and all of the souls he has touched.
In the comments I posted some of my favorite videos of him. It was our running joke that I knew all his jokes before day 1 at BU b/c I had youtubr stalked him🤣 – Tamara Dworetz wrote.
It is with profound sadness that we share the news that Music Director Bramwell Tovey has passed away following declining health in recent days. Our Sarasota Orchestra family is devastated by the loss of our beloved Maestro Tovey and our heartfelt thoughts are with his family during this most difficult time. – Sarasota orchestra wrote.
I’m desperately sad to say that my lifelong friend Bramwell Tovey passed away last night following a long struggle with cancer. Bram had a distinguished career as a conductor – one which, in 2018, led him to the role of Principal Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra.
Many of you will know Bram’s charismatic expertise, good humour and tact when working with orchestras. With early roots in the London Festival Ballet and Scottish Ballet companies, his distinguished career led him to regular engagements with most of the UK’s major orchestras before he settled for many years in Canada as Music Director of the Winnipeg Symphony (1989–2001) and later, the Vancouver Symphony (2000–2018). Along the way, he conducted the first season of the revived D’Oyly Carte Opera Company in 1988, and he was Music Director of the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra from 2002 to 2006. He conducted most of the North American orchestras – being the principal guest conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Hollywood Bowl summer concerts and one of the most frequent guest conductors to the New York Philharmonic. Bram was to become Music Director of the Sarasota Orchestra from the 2022–2023 season.
Bram also developed a close affiliation with the brass band tradition in this country, in particular the Foden’s Band. He was Artistic Director of the National Youth Brass Band from 2006 until 2020 which, for many years, my wife and I had the pleasure of joining as accompanists for their annual solo competition. As well as his legendary conducting skills, Bram was also a superb pianist and a prolific and highly respected composer. His compositions have featured in concerts and broadcasts around the world. He was also the most amazing raconteur, relating stories and presenting or narrating concerts with aplomb – holding the audience in the palm of his hand.
Bram grew up in Ilford, Essex, where he was actively involved in local music-making through the Redbridge Youth Orchestra in which he played the tuba. As for many of us of that generation, Bram would be the first to say that he owed much of his later musical life experience to the then London Borough of Redbridge’s Music Adviser, Malcolm Bidgood OBE. While still a student at the Royal Academy of Music, Bram formed a local orchestra called Concerti Allegri (Joyful Concerts), with which he conducted some wonderful performances, including Holst’s ‘The Planet’s Suite’ in 1974. He later went on to play the tuba on a freelance basis with the London Symphony Orchestra – an orchestra which he was later to conduct on many occasions in the mid-to-late 80s. He was also one of the six members of the ‘Internationally Unknown Gnaff Ensemble’, giving some outrageous performances to unsuspecting audiences across the South East. Bram was very much the ‘front man’ – presenting the performances, frequently playing lesser-known instruments such as the electric cor anglais, and singing solo vocals – notably on our Christmas single ‘We Free Kings’, released on Ffang Records.
Bramwell Tovey is a legend to those of us who grew up with him and to a world of musicians beyond, and was universally admired and respected. He was my ‘Best Man’ when I married Jo in 2007, giving a typically witty speech. Bram was a kind, generous and compassionate friend and his passing will leave a big void in our lives.
RIP, my dear friend. – Roderick Elms wrote.
We are heartbroken to announce that Bramwell Tovey, our Principal Conductor and Artistic Director, died peacefully yesterday at his home in Barrington, Rhode Island, one day after celebrating his 69th birthday surrounded by loved ones. Our hearts and thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. – Rhode Island wrote.
We are very sad to hear of the passing of Bramwell Tovey. A hugely talented and charismatic musician, we met him 2020 at the start of COVID lockdown when he generously gave of his time, on Zoom, to talk about his life and work, as well as his amazing work for brass band ‘The Night to Sing’.
All our love to his family and friends at this sad time. – Fulham Brass Band
