Maestro Bramwell Tovey, who conducted his last Vancouver Symphony Orchestra concert as music director last night, has received a fitting legacy in his honour.

The music-education hub he helped establish by the Orpheum Theatre will now be called the Tovey Centre for Music, encompassing both the VSO School of Music and the educational programs and activities of the VSO .

The naming honours the big contribution of Maestro Tovey and his wife Lana Penner-Tovey to music and education in Vancouver.

In about 2003, the VSO music director Bramwell Tovey first had the vision to open a community music school adjacent to the Orpheum Theatre, where orchestra members could teach aspiring musicians of all ages and backgrounds. In 2011, Tovey saw that dream fulfilled, with the unveiling of the $30-million VSO School of Music at 843 Seymour Street, a 25,000-square-foot purpose-built music school featuring 18 acoustically designed teaching studios, two classrooms, six practice rooms, a two-storey height ensemble room, and a state-of-the-art recital hall.

“We believe that this building, in this particular place, is a seed that has been planted in the middle of our great city, where we can take all the wonderful things that the city represents...and we can take our love of music and the joy of music and bring it to the lives of children across the city,” said Tovey at a news conference today held in the school’s recital hall.

Music education, especially for kids, is a source of great passion for Tovey, who came out in force when the Vancouver School Board cut elementary-school strings and band programs in 2016. “I want to apologize to you for all the grownups who make funding decisions. The grownups have failed you,” Tovey yelled into a megaphone at a protest rally at the time. “We need to have grownups that say music must be part of the school curriculum.” (The programs have never been reinstated.)

Here's an excerpt from the speech announcing the move by Vancouver Symphony foundation chair Ron Cliff last night:

Over the past eighteen seasons Bramwell has welcomed the opportunity to engage with the community and share his passion for music. He has invested in this orchestra and this community, committing to artistic excellence and championing the importance of music education. He helped open the VSO School of Music, which both his daughters attended, and served as its artistic advisor. He has been a leader of our cultural community and advocate for music in our schools, in our city and in our hearts. As Maestro, celebrating music has been a family affair. His son Ben and his two daughters, Jessica and Emma, are each exceptional musicians in their own right. Lana Penner-Tovey, is a dedicated music educator, active community member, and an equal partner in the Tovey legacy. Together, Bramwell and Lana have worked to open doors for a wider appreciation of music, and our community has embraced it wholeheartedly.

Tovey will be honored with the title of Music Director Emeritus when he leaves the VSO at the end of this season. In 2017 he joined the faculty of Boston University as director of orchestral and conducting studies, and in January he assumed the position of principal conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra.

Dutch conductor Otto Tausk is taking over the position as the VSO heads into its 100th anniversary season, 2019-20.