In Friday’s (7/6) Berkshire Eagle (Massachusetts), Clarence Fanto reports, “Seiji Ozawa, the Boston Symphony’s longest-serving music director and a high-profile presence at Tanglewood for 32 summers, will receive a first-ever special honor when the orchestra celebrates the 75th anniversary of its summer festival at an all-star concert Saturday, July 14. Ozawa’s close colleague and confidante, film composer and former Boston Pops conductor John Williams, will do the honors, presenting the Tanglewood Medal to Ozawa, who remains the BSO’s Music Director Laureate, but Ozawa won’t be present as he continues convalescing from health setbacks in Japan. Ozawa, 76, will be represented through a video greeting recorded at his home, the BSO announced Thursday. The July 14 event is being recorded for a national PBS ‘Great Performances’ telecast Friday, Aug. 10, at 9 p.m. International broadcasters, including the BBC, will also be showing the gala. BSO Managing Director Mark Volpe described the award as the beginning of a brand-new tradition to honor ‘Seiji’s extraordinary 29-year tenure as BSO music director and his incredible commitment to the life and vitality of Tanglewood.’ … [Ozawa] served as artistic director for Tanglewood for three summers, starting in 1971, before his 29-year tenure as the orchestra’s year-round music director.”
Posted July 6, 2012
