The distinguished Japanese conductor Seiji Ozawa, renowned for his leadership of globally acclaimed orchestras, has passed away at his residence in Tokyo at the age of 88, as announced by his management on Friday, February 9. “Conductor Seiji Ozawa departed this life serenely at his domicile on February 6th, 2024, aged 88,” proclaimed his management via an official statement on their Facebook page.

The cause of Seiji Ozawa’s death was heart failure, and a funeral service was conducted in the presence of immediate family members, adhering to his wishes, the announcement detailed.

Born in 1935 in Manchuria, China — a region under Japanese colonial rule at the time — Ozawa began his musical education with piano lessons during his elementary school years. However, an injury to two fingers sustained while playing rugby, another of his passions, compelled him to transition to conducting.

In 1959, Ozawa ventured overseas, where he encountered several eminent figures in the classical music sphere, including composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein. Ozawa served as Bernstein’s assistant with the New York Philharmonic during the 1961-1962 season.

His illustrious career saw him at the helm of orchestras in Chicago, Toronto, and San Francisco. Notably, he undertook a 29-year tenure as the musical director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO), during which a concert hall was named in his honor.

In 2002, Ozawa assumed the role of chief conductor at the Vienna State Opera, a position he held until 2010.

The Vienna Philharmonic, which first collaborated with Ozawa at the Salzburg Festival in 1966, lauded his “affectionate interaction with colleagues and his charismatic presence.”

“Having the opportunity to collaborate extensively with this artist, who embodied the highest musical standards while maintaining humility towards the treasures of musical culture, was a privilege,” stated Professor Daniel Froschauer, chairman of the Vienna Philharmonic.

Chad Smith, the Chief Executive Officer of the BSO, commemorated Ozawa as “one of the most celebrated and sought-after conductors of his generation,” describing him as “a dynamo both on and off the stage.”

He praised Ozawa as “a musical virtuoso whose conducting was marked by balletic grace and an exceptional memory.”

“Seiji represented all these qualities and much more to his admirers across the globe,” Smith remarked, acknowledging the BSO’s longest-serving conductor’s significant legacy.