The Belgian violinist and conductor Georges Octors died on 18 June at the age of 97, according to the Belgian Radio. Octors was born in the former Belgian Congo. He studied in Brussels and was a prize-winner in various international competitions, such as the Henri Vieuxtemps in 1941. He started a career as a violinist, before moving on to the baton. In 1956 he founded the Antwerp Bach Ensemble. In 1975 he became musical director of the Belgian National Orchestra, then of the Royal Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia. For ten years he was the musical director of the Gelders Orkest in Arnhem.
He was for a long time the titular conductor of the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition (from 1976 to 1989).
