Sir Andrew Davis, organist emeritus of Kings College, Cambridge and conductor who performed with many of the world’s finest orchestras has died at the age of 80.  

Born in Ashridge, Hertfordshire, Andrew Davis began piano lessons at the age of five, attending Watford Grammar School where he sang in the choir and played organ for the Watford Parish Choir. He took up organ lessons under the tutelage of Peter Hurford, the then-organist and choirmaster of St Alban’s Cathedral, before gaining an organ scholarship to Kings College, Cambridge in 1963. Achieving the ARCO diploma, he was admitted a member of the Royal College of Organists at the age of 19, some 30 years before he would be appointed Vice President. At Cambridge, under the baton of director of music Sir David Willcocks, Davis played for the annual carol service as well as a number of recordings, including the Chandos Anthems of Handel, the Gloria by Vivaldi, and the music of Thomas Tallis. Following his studies, Davis travelled to Rome to learn conducting at the Accademia di S Cecilia, under maestro Franco Ferrara before returning to the UK to finish his studies with BBC Philharmonic, George Hurst. He joined the Academy of St Martin in the Fields as pianist, harpsichordist and organist in 1966 until 1970 where he recorded a number of works including Handel’s Concerti Grossi and Tallis’ Lamentations of Jeremiah under the direction of Sir Neville Mariner.  

Adding to his diversity and range as a musician, Davis made his conducting debut in 1970 with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, quickly being appointed to Assistant Conductor of both the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in Glasgow and the Philharmonia Orchestra in London. Davis’ relationship with the BBC Proms began during his tenure as Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 1989, conducting more performances of  The Last Night of the Proms than any other conductor in recent history. His final performance at which would include Tippett’s Symphony No.4, a favourite composer of the maestro. Davis was a champion of English choral music throughout his career, and made a number of recordings of Tippett and Elgar’s work, including Scenes from the Saga of King Olaf and The Banner of Saint George, as well as The Dream of Gerontius which was featured in ‘Sir Andrew Davis: 10 Essential Recordings’ by Gramophone in 2024.  

In 1973, Davis was invited by Sir John Pritchard, Music Director at Glyndebourne to make his operatic conducting debut in a new production of Strauss’s  Capriccio, launching his operatic career. He was named Principal Conductor and Music Director of Lyric Opera of Chicago where he would go on to lead nearly 700 performances of 62 operas by 22 different composers during his 21 year tenure. 

In 1992, Maestro Davis was recognised for services to music with a CBE, and in 1999 was knighted as part of the Queen’s New Year Honours List.  

Andrew Frank Davis, conductor, born 2 February 1944; died 20 April 2024