Claudio Abbado, one of the most visionary conductors of our time has died at the age of 80. Maestro Abbado, pictured in 2003 with RPS Chairman Tony Fell and conductor David Lloyd Jones, was a recipient of the RPS Gold Medal. In 2011 he was given Conductor of the Year Award at the RPS Music Awards with the following citation:

Every one of the infrequent but annual appearances by this conductor produces a performance of indelible, life-changing moment. His extraordinary, revelatory concerts with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall in 2011 changed perceptions, and raised the bar once again on what it is possible for a group of musicians to achieve.

We salute him and send our thoughts to his family and colleagues.

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