Boris Brott is one of the most internationally recognized Canadian conductors, holding major posts as music director in Canada and the United States. He enjoys an international career as guest conductor, educator, motivational speaker and cultural ambassador.
In Canada, Mr. Brott has developed no less than six Canadian Orchestras: Thunder Bay Symphony, Regina Symphony, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, CBC Winnipeg, Symphony Nova Scotia, and most notably – The Hamilton Philharmonic, where Mr. Brott was Music Director from 1969 to 1990. He was Artistic Advisor and Founder to the newly created Symphony Nova Scotia from 1984 to 1989.
Internationally, Mr. Brott has served as Assistant Conductor to the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein, and as Music Director and Conductor for the Royal Ballet, Covent Garden (two years), Northern Sinfonia (five years), and the BBC Welsh Symphony (seven years). In addition, Mr. Brott has guest-conducted in Mexico, the United States, South America, Central America, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Scandinavia, Japan, Korea, Israel, the Netherlands, and most recently performed Bernstein’s Mass, for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican.
Mr. Brott has won prizes in major international competitions: the Pan American Conductors Prize in Mexico, the Liverpool Conductors Competition in Great Britain, and the Dimitri Mitropoulos International Conductors Competition in New York, where he joined the ranks of Seiji Ozawa and Claudio Abbado as a Gold Medal Winner. In 1987, Mr. Brott was awarded Canada’s highest civic honour, Officer of the Order of Canada. He was awarded an Honourary Doctorate of Law in 1988 at McMasterUniversity, was made a Knight of Malta in 1990, selected as "International Man of the Year" by the InternationalBiographicalCenter, in CambridgeEngland in 1992 and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts of Great Britain in 1996.
Boris Brott has commitment to the development of new audiences and young artists. His programs have received rave reviews, in particular, a series of concerts bringing to life the great classical composers. The National Academy Orchestra, a unique mentor-apprentice program, in which emerging young musicians gain invaluable experience from working with seasoned professionals, stands as the centerpiece of his music festival in Ontario, Canada.
Besides numerous film and radio commitments, Mr. Brott has conducted, produced, and and hosted over 100 television programs on both sides of the Atlantic. He has recorded for CBC, Septre-Mace, Mercury, Pro-Arte Records and Sony Classical where CDs with the late Glenn Gould have recently been released.
Currently, Mr. Brott is Artistic Director of Brott Music Festivals, established in 1988 as Ontario’s principal classical music festivals; Conductor and Music Director of the New West Symphony, California, Artistic Director of Symphonia Canada, and Conductor of the McGill Chamber Orchestra in Montreal.
He has developed a corollary career as a motivational speaker giving 35 presentations annually to Fortune 500 companies around the world linking music and business. The speeches center around the "teamwork" and "creativity" aspects of music and business. A partial list of recent audiences included CEOs of IBM, American Express, American Airlines, Sandoz, Compaq, Intel, General Electric, Pfizer, Pharmacia Upjohn, Sun Microsystems, and General Motors.
Guest conducting engagements include appearances with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony, Quebec Symphony, Orchestra London, Canada, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, Bari Symphony, Italy, Jerusalem Symphony, Israel Chamber Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Holland and London Symphony Orchestra, England.
Playing Together
Thousands of people across corporate America have heard Boris Brott's interactive presentation — he draws comparisons between business organizations and symphony orchestras. Both have common goals, each must perform in harmony to achieve those goals, and each continually strives for perfection. Often, both attempt to be innovative and creative. Boris draws out the juxtaposition of teamwork and leadership the need for creativity within an organization; the joy of communication and the achievement of success. All are explored through the medium of music. During his 25-minute presentation, these analogies are enhanced with slides and video. The audience hears of Beethoven's struggle, his quest for perfection...brief passages from some of Beethoven's best known works. Then, it's time to play together... Boris instructs the audience to reach under their chairs where they will find a tonebar — a musical instrument with a mallet. The audience has been divided into five specific notes. After "rehearsing" and enjoying the levity and excitement, the audience is prepared to play Beethoven's Ode to Joy. Boris turns to the video screen, gives a signal, and a full symphony orchestra begins to play. At the appropriate point, he turns to the audience and "conducts" them in this informative, educational, and fun-filled presentation. The audience is thrilled to be playing a signifant part and to make music under the direction of a symphony conductor. Audiences and corporate executives find it a memorable and unique presentation.
Variations on "Playing Together"
• A live orchestra joins Boris on stage. Musicians and their instruments are introduced. A short musical example is played. The is repeated until an 11-piece orchestra is formed on stage. • The meeting's host joins Boris in conducting the audience and/or explaining the similarities between their organization and a symphony orchestra. • Each script is tailored to suit the meeting's theme or message. • Specific concepts germane to the organization are brought out in the script. • The presentation's length is suited to the requirements of program. • Mr. Brott can act as host through the duration of the meeting
"Lighting the Creative Flame"
Creativity rests in all our souls. This presentation demonstrates five steps that are at the heart of every creative process. Boris interacts with "Professor Siegfried" on screen, and together they take the audience through the steps necessary to concoct anything from E=MC2 to an enlightened business plan to the perfect Christmas party. This is an interactive presentation involving the meeting’s host as well as the audience. But the heart of the piece rests with Boris and Professor Siegfried taking the steps necessary to "light the creative flame." After each step, Boris "conducts" the audience playing their tone bars, and concludes his presentation with a roaring rendition of the music from Star Wars
