Vale the English maestro, who was Principal Guest Conductor of the ASO, and worked to raise awareness of spina bifida.

Esteemed British conductor Sir Jeffrey Tate CBE has passed away at the age of 74. Sir Jeffrey, who was appointed Principal Guest Conductor and Artistic Adviser of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in 2015, died of a heart attack in Bergamo, Italy, while visiting the Accademia Carrera art gallery. He had conducted performances of Mahler’s 9th Symphony with the Haydn Orchestra of Bolzano and Trento on May 30 and 31, and was on his way to Turin for a concert next week with the RAI National Symphony Orchestra.

^{Sir Jeffrey Tate with the ASO after the final concert he conducted for them at the Festival Theatre on October 29, 2016}

The well-liked, hugely respected maestro had been Chief Conductor of the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra since 2009. Earlier this year, he was named in the New Year’s Honours List for his services to British music overseas. He received his knighthood from Prince William just six weeks ago at an investiture ceremony held in London. Fittingly, his concerts with the ASO in 2016...