Denis Brott

Denis Brott (born December 9, 1950) is a Canadian cellist, music teacher and Founder & Artistic Director of the award winning Montreal Chamber Music Festival.
Born in Montreal, the son of violinist and composer Alexander Brott and cellist Lotte Brott.

Early Years

Denis Brott was born in Montreal into a family of professional musicians.

Formal Training

• 1959-67: He started his training with Walter Joachim at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal
• 1964-68 He studied with Leonard Rose at The Juilliard School in New York.
• 1968-71: He continued his training with Janos Starker at the University of Indiana in Bloomington.
• 1971-75: He concluded his studies with Gregor Piatigorsky at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, acting as Piatigorsky's assistant for part of his four years there.

Musical Career

International attention came to Mr. Brott in 1973 when he won 2nd Prize in the Munich International Cello Competition. His concert tours have taken him to four continents and numerous festivals including Marlboro, Sitka, Santa Barbara, and Banff. He is a sought after member of international juries including the Evian International String Quartet Competition (1993), the CBC Radio National Competition for Young Performers (1997), the Munich International ARD Cello Competition (1998), and the Munich International ARD String Quartet Competition (1996, 2008).

Chamber music being his calling, Denis Brott spent eight years in the Orford String Quartet during which time he recorded 25 chamber music discs. Especially acclaimed were the recordings of the complete string quartets of Beethoven, which won the Grand Prix du Disque Award (1988) and two Juno Awards (1985, 1987) for Best Chamber Ensemble Classical Recording. He has appeared as guest with numerous ensembles including the Emerson and Tokyo String Quartets.

His many solo recordings include the three Brahms Sonatas for cello and piano and Homage to Piatigorsky, perhaps his best known recording. It received this accolade from Yo-Yo Ma: "His playing throughout is exemplary, full of the rich sound and technical wizardry the master exemplified. I think Piatigorsky would be proud."

Teaching Career

Denis Brott has been a dedicated and passionate educator in the field of music for most of his life. He has been Professor of Cello and Chamber Music at the North Carolina School of the Arts (1975-1977), the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan (1978-1980), the University of Toronto Faculty of Music (1980-1989), and the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California (1992-2001). He held the cello chair at the Musicorda Chamber Music Institute and Festival (2005). A recent project involves bringing music classes to Montreal area high schools, mixing classical music with rap and break dancing. Mr. Brott is currently Professor of Cello and Chamber Music at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal (1990).

Instrument Bank

In 1985, Denis Brott played a pivotal role in the creation of the Canada Council for the Arts Musical Instrument Bank which buys fine, rare string instruments to lend to Canadian muscians. In recognition of his efforts, the Instrument Bank gave him a magnificent 1706 David Tecchler cello for his lifetime use.

Montreal Chamber Music Festival

Early in the 1990's, Denis Brott moved back to his birth place, Montreal. Denis wanted to pursue the concept of having classical music more accessible to the public, along the lines of an international chamber music festival. He approached then mayor of Montreal, Pierre Bourque, and got a very favourable reaction to the idea. It was decided to hold the festival at The Chalet situated atop Mont Royal. In the center of the city of Montreal there are remanants of an ancient extinct volcano. Half of this was made into a park in 1876. Frederick Law Olmsted who designed Central Park in New York City was commissioned to landscape the new park. In 1995 the first Montreal Chamber Music Festival was held at The Chalet.

Mr. Brott has been the sole Artistic Director of the festival since its inception. The concept of chamber music that the festival embraces is one of a small group of musicians playing in intimate surroundings in historic locations. Although the majority of the music is classical, the Festival also features other genres including jazz, popular, and the avantgarde. The Festival has also developed a tradition of mixing dance, visual presentations, and prose with live music. It has been a venue for talented young musicians as well who interact with seasoned professionals in a mentorship type situation.

In 2006 the Festival moved to downtown Montreal into the historic and recently renovated St. James United Church. Wtih hand designed panels, the church is an accoustically outstanding venue.

Discography

Solo

• 3 Sonatas for Cello & Piano: Analekta AN2 9901 (Glen Montgomery, piano)
  • Johannes Brahms
  • 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, narrator; Evan Drachman, 2nd cello)
  • Beglarian "Of Fables, Foibles & Fancies"
  • Haydn 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 25th Anniversary
  • (National Arts Centre Orchestra, Mario Bernardi, conductor)
  • Tchaikovsky 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 Introduction, Theme & Variations, Opus 82 #2
  • (Charles Reiner, piano)
  • Strauss Sonata in F Major, Opus 6
  • (Rebecca Penneys, piano)

Chamber Music

(recordings are as a member of the Orford String Quartet)

• The Complete String Quartets of Beethoven: 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, mezzo-soprano)

• Brott Ritual: CBC SMCD 504
  • (CBC Vancouver Orchestra, Simon Streatfield, conductor)
  • Elgar Introduction & Allegro
  • Mercure Divertissement
  • Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis

• Freedman Chalumeau: Centrediscs CNCO 983
  • ( James Campbell, clarinet)

• CTL S5256
  • Glick String Quartet #1:
  • Prevost Ahimsa
  • ( Robert Aitken, flute; Sandra Graham, mezzo-soprano; Elmer Iseler Singers)
  • Haydn Serenade, Opus 3 #5
  • Mozart Serenade (Eine Kleine Nachtmusik)
  • Riley Concerto for String Quartet & Woodwind Doubler
  • (Moe Koffman, flute, saxophone, clarinet)

• CBC RCI550
  • Hetu String Quaratet, Opus 29
  • Morawetz String Quartet #2

• Ofra Harnoy & The Orford String Quartet Plays The Beatles: Fanfare 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 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- McCartney (arr. Wilkins) Yesterday
  • MacMillan A Saint Malo
  • Puccini 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 Conseratoire de musique de montréal Analekta Aspen Music Festival and School Munich International ARDA Competition