Denis Brott , SMOM (born December 9, 1950) is a Canadian cellist, music teacher, conductor and founder and artistic director of th
Montreal Chamber Music Festival
"Densi Brott"
Biography in ''The Canadian Encyclopedia'' Canadian Celist Denis Brott

Early life and education

Brott was born in Montreal, into a family of professional musicians; he is the son of the violinist and composer

Alexander Brott Alexander Brott, , born Joël Brod (March 14, 1915April 1, 2005),

and cellist Lotte Brott (née Goetzel), and the younger brother of conductor

Boris Brott Boris Brott, (March 14, 1944 – April 5, 2022) was a Canadian conductor and motivational speaker. He was one of the most internationally recognized Canadian conductors, having conducted on stages around the world, including Carnegie Hall and ...

. His mother was born in Mannheim, Germany, a country she had left in 1939 because of political oppressions. He studied cello with Walter Joachim at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal from 1959 to 1967, with

Leonard Rose Leonard Joseph Rose (July 27, 1918 – November 16, 1984) was an American cellist and pedagogue. Biography Rose was born in Washington, D.C.; his parents were Jewish immigrants, his father from Bragin, Belarus, and his mother from Kyiv, ...

The Juilliard School The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most elit ...

in New York from 1964 to 1968, with

Janos Starker János or Janos may refer to: * János, male Hungarian given name, a variant of John Places * Janos Municipality, a municipality of Chihuahua ** Janos, Chihuahua, town in Mexico ** Janos Biosphere Reserve, a nature reserve in Chihuahua * Janos ...

at the Indiana University in Bloomington from 1968 to 1971 and with

Gregor Piatigorsky Gregor Piatigorsky (, ''Grigoriy Pavlovich Pyatigorskiy''; August 6, 1976) was a Russian Empire-born American cellist. Biography Early life Gregor Piatigorsky was born in Ekaterinoslav (now Dnipro, Ukraine) into a Jewish family. As a child, ...

at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, until 1975, acting as Piatigorsky's assistant for part of his four years there.

Career

As a young man Brott performed as a cellist and conductor.and won numerous awards including: * Affiliated Artist Awards, New York City (1978) * 2nd prize, 22nd International Cello Competition, Munich, Germany (1973) * 1st prize, Amarillo Symphony Competition, Amarillo, Texas (1971) * Enlow Young Artist Award, Evansville, Indiana (1971) * 1st prize, Indiana University Philharmonic Competition, Bloomington, Indiana (1971) * 1st prize, Montreal Symphony Competition (1971) * 1st prize, Young Musicians Fondation Competition Debut Award, Los Angeles (1971) * 1st prize, National Young Artist Competition, Odessa, Texas (1969) * 1st prize, Washington National Symphony Orchestra Merriweather Post Competition (1967) * Canadian Centenial Prize (1967) * 2nd prize, Jeunesse Musicales Competition (1967) * 1st prize, Quebec Music Festivals In 1975 he became a Professor of Cello and Chamber Music at the

North Carolina School of the Arts The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) is an arts school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It grants high school, undergraduate, and graduate degrees. Founded in 1963 as the North Carolina School of the Arts by then-Governo ...

. In 1978, he became a Professor of Cello and Chamber Music at the

Interlochen Arts Academy Interlochen Center for the Arts is a non-profit corporation which operates arts education institutions and performance venues in northwest Michigan. It is situated on a campus in Interlochen, Michigan, roughly southwest of Traverse City. In ...

in Michigan,. In 1980, he joined the

Orford String Quartet The Orford String Quartet was a Canadian string quartet active from 1965 through 1991. They came to be the leading string quartet in Canada, and were well-known internationally. Founding In 1951, Gilles Lefebvre launched a summer music camp for L ...

at the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...

, quartet in residence at the U of T Faculty of Music, teaching and performing there until 1989. In 1985, Brott played a pivotal role in the creation of th
Canada Council for the Arts Musical Instrument Bank
which collects fine string instruments to lend to Canadian musicians. In recognition of his contribution, the Instrument Bank loaned him a 1706 David Tecchler cello for his lifetime use, and named the instrument in his honor as well as that of William Turner,
Brott-Turner Tecchler
'' Since 1989 he has been Professor of Cello and Chamber Music at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal. In 2017, he was appointed conductor of the Conservatoire’s Grand Orchestre à Cordes. In 2017, he began giving guest master classes for th
Netherlands String Quartet Academy
(NSKA) continuing to this day travelling to Holland to teach the finest emerging string quartets. His concert tours have taken him to four continents and he has performed at many festivals, including Marlboro, Sitka, Santa Barbara, Banff, and Toronto Summer Music. Brott has also taught at numerous summer music festivals most notably at th
Music Academy of the West
in Santa Barbara California from 1992 until 2001, where he held the Jeanne Thayer Cello Chair, th
Orford Arts CentreDomaine Forget
and Musicorda Chamber Music Institute and Festival. He is a regularly invited teacher and performer at th
Banff Summer Music Festival
as well as frequent juror an
lecturer
at th
Banff International String Quartet Competition
(BISQC). He was guest Artistic Director of th
Festival of the Sound in Ontario
in 1991. He has served as an international juror at distinguished competitions including th
Evian International String Quartet Competition
(1993), th

(1996 & 2008), th
CBC Radio National Competition for Young Performers
(1997), th

(1998) and at th
Banff International String Quartet Competition
(BISQC) twice. Brott performed for nine years with the

during which time he recorded 25 chamber music CD’s. During his tenure the quartet was named Ensemble of the Year by the Canadian Music Council (1986) and their recordings of the complete string quartets of Beethoven won the Grand Prix du Disque Award (1998) and two Juno Awards (1985, 1987) for Best Chamber Ensemble Classical Recording. Brott appeared as invited guest cellist with some of the world’s finest string quartets including the Emerson, Guarneri, Tokyo, St. Lawrence, Fine Arts, Dover, Ulysses and Barbican String Quartets. Brott has made man
recordings as a solo artist
the best known being the Brahms Sonatas for cello and piano with Glen Montgomery, piano, and Homage to Piatigorsky with Samuel Sanders, piano, Evan Drachman, cello and Tony Randall, narrator.

List of Awards

* Order of Montreal (2016) * Order of Canada (2015) * Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Award (2012) * Great Montrealer Award for Culture (2004) ** The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal selected Denis Brott as one of four new Great Montrealers in 2004 who have marked the history of Montreal and have distinguished themselves in one of the following sectors: economic, cultural, social, or scientific. * Knight of Merit of the Sovereign Military Order of Saint John of Jerusalem (1992) ** Award for distinguished service to music in Canada * Grand Prix du Disque Canada (1988) ** Best Solo or Chamber Music Recording: Schubert Quintet, Orford Quartet and Ofra Harnoy, * Juno Award (1987) ** Best Classical Album in the Solo or Chamber Music Category, Schubert Quintet, Orford Quartet and Ofra Harnoy * Ensemble of the Year Award, Canadian Music Council, Orford String Quartet (1986) * Juno Award (1985) ** Best Classical Album in the Solo or Chamber Music Category ; Recording of Mozart Quartets K. 387, K. 421, K. 465, and K. 458 with Orford Quartet * Affiliate Artist Award, New York City (1978)

Montreal Chamber Music Festival
ref>

In 1990, Brott moved back to Montreal, with plans to make classical music more accessible to the public by developing an international chamber music festival. His idea gained the approval of then mayor of Montreal, Pierre Bourque. It was decided to hold the Festival at The Chalet de la Montagne situated atop Mont Royal. In 1995, the firs
Montreal Chamber Music Festival
was held at The Chalet de la Montagne, with Brott as its Founder and Artistic Director. The Festival organizers sought out historic locations for the performances and planned concerts by internationally known chamber musicians and chamber ensembles. The aim was to allow promising young chamber musicians to perform with established musicians thereby acquire experience essential to the development of their careers, promote exchanges between Canadian and foreign chamber music artists and enhance the stature of Montreal as a cultural hub for chamber music activity. In 2006, the Festival participated in the rejuvenation of downtown Montreal known as the "Quartier des festivals". The festival moved to the historic St. James United Church. Now in its 27th consecutive season of Festival concert giving, the Montreal Chamber Music Festival is considered one of the finest of its kind in the world. It now performs annually in the exquisit
salle Bourgie
at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. In 2020, due to Covid-19 restrictions prohibiting in-person, live performance, the Festival became a ''Festival Reimagined''. Over an 18 month period it produced ove
21 videos
when live concerts were prohibited. The Festival’s innovative projects designed for web diffusion include:
A Day in the Life
',
Home From Away
',
La relève de chez nous
' (Stars of Tomorrow),
Tchaikovsky, je vous aime
' and many others. These videos provided employment and performance opportunities to many musicians during the lean times imposed by Covid restrictions. Since the fall of 2021, the Festival is back to presenting live concerts. It continues to produce innovative programming dedicated to bringing the finest established artists together on stage with the best rising stars in unique ensemble combinations. As well, the Festival regularly commissions composers and performs world premieres.

Musician's Life in the Age of Corona

In mid-March 2020, Denis Brott contracted one of the first gravely serious cases of Covid-19 in Canada and was placed in an induced coma intubated in intensive care in Montreal's CHUM Hospital for over 32 days. He has made a complete recovery. Today, he continues his vibrant career as cellist, pedagogue, conductor, innovator, Artistic Director, champions the finest emerging artists and is a passionate protagonist of the performing arts and its importance to humanity.

Discography

Solo
/h2>
*
3 Sonatas for Cello & Piano
': Analekta AN2 9901 (Glen Montgomery, piano).
Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid- Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped wit ...
Sonata in E Minor, Opus 38, Sonata in D Major, Opus 78, Sonata in F Major, Opus 99 *
Remembering
Piatigorsky'': Analekta FL2 3035 (Samuel Sanders, piano;
Tony Randall Anthony Leonard Randall (born Aryeh Leonard Rosenberg; February 26, 1920 – May 17, 2004) was an American actor. He is best known for portraying the role of Felix Unger in a television adaptation of the 1965 play ''The Odd Couple'' by Neil Sim ...
, narrator; Evan Drachman, 2nd cello). Beglarian "Of Fables, Foibles & Fancies",
Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions to musical form have led ...
Divertimento, Menotti Suite for 2 Cellos & Piano, Piatigorsky Syrinx for Solo Cello, Piatigorsky Promenade for Solo Cello, Piatigorsky Variations on the 24th Caprice of Paganini *
Celebration
': Analekta AN2 7201-2.
National Arts Centre Orchestra The National Arts Centre Orchestra (NAC Orchestra) is a Canadian orchestra based in Ottawa, Ontario led by music director Alexander Shelley. The NAC Orchestra's primary concert venue is Southam Hall at the National Arts Centre. Since its incepti ...
25th Anniversary, (National Arts Centre Orchestra, Mario Bernardi, conductor).
Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most popu ...
Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33 *
Brott Arabesque for Cello & Orchestra
': Analekta ANC 9801. (McGill Chamber Orchestra, Boris Brott, conductor) *
Tribute to Piatigorsky
': DFCDI-013. (same repertoire as FL2 3035) ''Anthology of Canadian Music'': CBC ACM20. Alexander Brott, Brott Psalmody for Solo Cello, Brott Shofar for Solo Cello
Debussy Sonate
': CBC SM185 .
Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wor ...
Introduction, Theme & Variations, Opus 82 #2 (Charles Reiner, piano),
Strauss Strauss, Strauß or Straus is a common Germanic surname. Outside Germany and Austria ''Strauß'' is always spelled ''Strauss'' (the letter " ß" is not used in the German-speaking part of Switzerland). In classical music, "Strauss" usually ref ...
Sonata in F Major, Opus 6 (
Rebecca Penneys Rebecca Penneys (born 1946) is an American-born pianist of Russian-Ukrainian-Jewish descent. She is a recitalist, chamber musician, orchestral soloist, educator, and adjudicator. In 1965, she was the youngest contestant to have ever entered the Inte ...
, piano)

Chamber music with Orford String Quartet

*''The Complete String Quartets of

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...

'': Delos DE 3039. Volumes I-VIII. *''Brahms Piano Quintet in F Minor, Opus 34'': Sefel SEFD 5019. (Gloria Saarinen, piano) *''Brott "Critic's Corner"'': SNE 516. (Louis Charbonneau, percussion), Brott Songs of Contemplation (

Maureen Forrester Maureen Kathleen Stewart Forrester, (July 25, 1930 – June 16, 2010) was a Canadian operatic contralto. Life and career Maureen Forrester was born and grew up in Montreal, Quebec, one of four children of Thomas Forrester, a Scottish cabinetmak ...

, mezzo-soprano) *''Brott Ritual'': CBC SMCD 504. (

CBC Vancouver Orchestra The CBC Radio Orchestra was a Canadian orchestra based in Vancouver, British Columbia, that was operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Until the early 1980s CBC had a number of orchestras located in Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, and Hal ...

Simon Streatfeild Simon Nicolas Streatfeild (5 October 1929 – 7 December 2019) was a British-Canadian violist, conductor and teacher. Simon Nicolas Streatfeild was born in Windsor, Berkshire, England in 1929. He studied viola with Frederick Riddle at the ...

, conductor),

Elgar Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet, (; 2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934) was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestr ...

Introduction & Allegro, Mercure Divertissement,

Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams, (; 12 October 1872– 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over ...

Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis *''Freedman Chalumeau'': Centrediscs CNCO 983. (

James Campbell James Campbell may refer to: Academics * James Archibald Campbell (1862–1934), founder of Campbell University in North Carolina * James Marshall Campbell (1895–1977), dean of the college of arts and sciences at the Catholic University of Americ ...

, clarinet) *''CTL S5256'' . Glick String Quartet #1:

Prevost Prevost, Prévost or Prévôt may refer to: Places * Prévost (electoral district), Quebec, a provincial electoral district * Prévost, Quebec, a community in the Laurentians region of Quebec, Canada ** Prévost station * Prevost, a community ...

Ahimsa, ( Robert Aitken, flute; Sandra Graham, mezzo-soprano;

Elmer Iseler Singers The Elmer Iseler Singers is a professional chamber choir based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The twenty-voice choir, conducted by Artistic Director ''Lydia Adams'', founded by Dr. Elmer Iseler in 1979, is one of Canada’s leading choral ensemb ...

Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( , ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions to musical form have led ...

Serenade, Opus 3 #5,

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...

Serenade (Eine Kleine Nachtmusik), *Riley Concerto for String Quartet & Woodwind Doubler, (

Moe Koffman Morris "Moe" Koffman, Order of Canada, OC (28 December 1928 – 28 March 2001) was a Canadians, Canadian jazz saxophonist and flautist, as well as composer and arranger. During a career spanning from the 1950s to the 2000s, Koffman was one of Cana ...

, flute, saxophone, clarinet) *''CBC RCI550''Hetu String Quaratet, Opus 29, Morawetz String Quartet #2 *''

Ofra Harnoy Ofra Harnoy ( he, עופרה הרנוי; born January 31, 1965) is an Israeli-Canadian cellist. She is a Member of the Order of Canada. By joining the international artists roster of RCA Victor Red Seal, Harnoy became the first Canadian classica ...

& The Orford String Quartet Plays The Beatles'':

Fanfare A fanfare (or fanfarade or flourish) is a short musical flourish which is typically played by trumpets, French horns or other brass instruments, often accompanied by percussion. It is a "brief improvised introduction to an instrumental perfo ...

DFL 6002 (arrangements by Doug Riley). Musica Viva Mozart Quintet in A Major, K. 581 *'' Weber Quintet, Opus 34'': CBC Musica Viva MVCD1032 (James Campbell, clarinet) *''Orford Encores'': Fanfare DFC 7008.

Borodin Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin ( rus, link=no, Александр Порфирьевич Бородин, Aleksandr Porfir’yevich Borodin , p=ɐlʲɪkˈsandr pɐrˈfʲi rʲjɪvʲɪtɕ bərɐˈdʲin, a=RU-Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin.ogg, ...

Nocturne & Scherzo from Quartet #2, Dvorak Waltz, Opus 54 #1, Foster (arr. Pochon) Old Black Joe, Gagnon Tango, Gershwin Lullaby, Haydn Serenade from Quartet, Opus 3 #5,

Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...

(arr. Wilkins) Yesterday,

MacMillan MacMillan, Macmillan, McMillen or McMillan may refer to: People * McMillan (surname) * Clan MacMillan, a Highland Scottish clan * Harold Macmillan, British statesman and politician * James MacMillan, Scottish composer * William Duncan MacMillan ...

A Saint Malo,

Puccini Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long lin ...

Crisantemi *''Moments magiques'': FMCM 2 001. Juno Award-winning album for Best Classical Recording in the Solo/Chamber Music Category. Schubert Presto from Trio #2 Opus 100 D929, Dvorak Poco adagio and Finale from Trio Opus 65

References

External links

Denis Brott

Montreal Chamber Music Festival
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brott, Denis 1950 births Canadian classical cellists Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal faculty Canadian music educators Living people Members of the Order of Canada Musicians from Montreal