Brott, 78, was considered a titan in the world of classical music in Canada and beyond. Photo credit: Facebook/Brott Musical Festival
Internationally recognized conductor, composer, violinist, member of the Order of Canada, and one of the “greatest Hamiltonians of all time” Boris Brott was tragically killed in an alleged hit-and-run in Hamilton earlier this week.
According to police, the 78-year-old was struck by a vehicle driving the wrong way near the corner of Park Avenue South and Markland Street at around 10:20 a.m. Tuesday morning. The driver of the vehicle allegedly fled the scene but was caught by police a short distance away.
Brott was rushed to hospital in “critical life-threatening condition”, sadly succumbing to his injuries.
Tributes started pouring in from across Canada, and indeed the world, immediately after news broke of Brott’s passing Tuesday.
In a Facebook post, the Orchestre Classique de Montréal (OCM) called Brott a “renowned leader” in his field.
“The entire OCM Family is in a state of disbelief,” read the post. “Boris Brott was the beating heart of the Orchestre Classique de Montréal (where he was artistic director), a renowned leader in the world of classical music in North America and beyond, a mentor to countless young musicians, and a very dear friend to so many. His sudden passing thus leaves a deep void in our musical community, and a profound sadness in our personal lives.”
In Canada, Brott developed no less than six orchestras throughout his career: Thunder Bay Symphony, Regina Symphony, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, CBC Winnipeg, Symphony Nova Scotia, and the Hamilton Philharmonic, where he was musical director from 1969 to 1990.
In 1988, Brott founded the Brott Musical Festival in Hamilton. The next year, he established the National Academy Orchestra, Canada’s only professional training orchestra.
On the international stage, Brott served as assistant conductor to the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein, and as music director and conductor for the Royal Ballet (Covent Garden), the Northern Sinfonia, and the BBC Welsh Symphony. He was the founding music director of the New West Symphony in Los Angeles from 1995 to 2011. And in 2011, he was named principal guest conductor of the historic Petruzzelli Theatre in Bari, Italy.
Brott performed for Pope John Paul II on no less than two occasions during his lifetime.
“His brilliance as a maestro was only surpassed by his kindness as a man,” said actor and Hamilton native Eugene Levy after the incident. “I join the world of music and all Canadians in mourning the loss of Boris Brott.”
“I’m heartbroken at the tragic loss of visionary Canadian conductor, Boris Brott,” NDP leader and long-time Hamilton Centre MPP Andrea Horwath wrote on Twitter. “From the National Academy Orchestra of Canada to Brott Music Festival and beyond, he shared his love of music with #HamOnt and the world.”
In addition to his musical career, Brott established a secondary vocation as a motivational speaker in recent decades. He gave dozens of talks annually to Fortune 500 companies around the world linking music and business. Some his audiences included CEOs of IBM, American Express, American Airlines, Intel, General Electric, and General Motors.
“We were so impressed with (Boris’) ability to bring people together,” wrote Hamilton rock band Arkells on social media, who performed with Brott for an album launch in 2014 and at the 2015 Junos. “His ambition was endless. And more than anything it was inspiring to meet someone who’d already accomplished so much in their life, be so hungry and excited to pull off the next feat.”
“It’s a terribly sad day for Hamilton.”
Brott is survived by his wife, Ardyth, and their three children Alexandra, David, and Benjamin.
