British conductor Richard Hickox has died at the age of 60 following a suspected heart attack.
Hickox was born in Buckinghamshire to a musical family, and studied at London's Royal Academy of Music before becoming an organ scholar at Queen's College, Cambridge. The musical director of Opera Australia, and a frequent conductor of many major UK orchestras, Hickox was also founder and musical director of The City Of London Sinfonia and an associate guest conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. In a prolific career, Hickox conducted on more than 300 recordings, and won a number of awards, receiving his fifth Grammy Award in 2006. He was appointed CBE in 2002.
Hickox's agent, Stephen Lumsden, said: "The shock of Richard Hickox's sudden and unexpected death will resonate right around the globe and has robbed the music world of one of its most popular and respected musicians. Literally thousands of musicians who were touched by his talent, energy and that remarkable generosity of spirit of his will feel that loss as well".
Roger Wright, controller of Radio 3 and director of BBC Proms said: "The classical music world has lost a major figure whose musicianship and enthusiasm endeared him to audiences in opera houses and concert halls throughout the world".
He is survived by his wife, mezzo-soprano Pamela Helen Stephen, and three children.