30 Facts About Boris Brott

Boris Brott was one of the most internationally recognized Canadian conductors, having conducted on stages around the world, including Carnegie Hall, La Scala, and Covent Garden.

Boris Brott was known for his innovative methods of introducing classical music to new audiences.

Boris Brott was the founding Music Director and Conductor Laureate of the New West Symphony in Thousand Oaks, CA and artistic director and conductor of the Orchestre classique de Montreal.

Boris Brott was a former Principal Youth and Family conductor with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa and Toronto Symphony Orchestra, where he led family and education programs.

Boris Brott's mother was born in Mannheim, Germany, a country she had left in 1939 because of the Nazis.

Boris Brott studied violin with his father, and performed at the age of five with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra at a young people's matinee.

Boris Brott took courses at the Conservatoire de musique du Quebec a Montreal and the McGill Conservatory, and in 1956 studied conducting at the summer school of Pierre Monteux, who engaged him as assistant for concerts in Europe.

Boris Brott next studied with Igor Markevitch and won first prize at the 1958 Pan-American conducting competition.

In June 1962, Boris Brott won third prize at the Liverpool Competition.

Boris Brott served from 1963 to 1965 as Walter Susskind's assistant conductor with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and then embarked on a career in England as conductor of the Northern Sinfonia at Newcastle upon Tyne.

Boris Brott made several tours with this chamber orchestra, among which was one in Canada, which included concerts at Expo 67.

From 1964 to 1967, Boris Brott was principal conductor for the touring company of the Royal Ballet Covent Garden.

Boris Brott was named one of Canada's Outstanding Young Men in 1969 and 1973 by the Junior Chamber of Commerce.

In 1972, Boris Brott was appointed conductor of the BBC Welsh Orchestra.

Boris Brott directed the Lakehead Symphony Orchestra between 1967 and 1972 and the Regina Symphony Orchestra from 1971 to 1973.

From 1969 to 1990, Boris Brott was artistic director and conductor of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, which grew from an amateur ensemble to a professional one with a 42-week season and 16,000 subscribers.

Boris Brott conducted the first notes heard in the hall on September 22,1973.

In 1975, Boris Brott assumed directorship of the CBC Winnipeg Orchestra.

Boris Brott later directed Opera Hamilton and guest-conducted with the Canadian Opera Company and Sadler's Wells Opera.

Boris Brott served as the Principal Youth and Family conductor with both the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Boris Brott led the Ontario Place Pops Orchestra from 1983 to 1991.

Boris Brott took over the role of Music Director at McGill Chamber Orchestra from his father, who founded the ensemble in 1945.

Boris Brott remained its leader, now known as Orchestre Classique de Montreal until his death.

Boris Brott studied law at the University of Western Ontario from 1992 to 1995, and in 1995 began giving motivational seminars to Fortune 500 companies using symphonic music as an example of teamwork at the highest level.

Boris Brott produced, conducted, or hosted a large number of television and radio programs for the CBC, and the BBC and ITV in the UK, and recorded with various orchestras for Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Mercury, Pro-Arte and Sony Classical.

Boris Brott embarked on a guest conducting schedule at Italy's opera houses, including the Teatro Petruzzelli, the Arena di Verona and the Teatro Giuseppe Verdi in Trieste.

In 2011, Boris Brott was named Principal Guest Conductor of the historic Petruzzelli Theatre in Bari, Italy.

In 1986, Boris Brott was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Boris Brott was married to author and lawyer Ardyth Webster Boris Brott, CM with whom he had three children and four grandchildren.

Boris Brott is buried in Montreal's Mont Royal Cemetery with his parents.