The classical world remembers renowned conductor Boris Brott, 78, who ‘painted with music’

Boris Brott with Jamie Bernstein, daughter of famed conductor Leonard Bernstein, with whom Brott studied, at a tribute concert in 2019. (Photo courtesy of Gideon Zelermyer)

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Boris Brott, who was killed this week at 78, was an iconic Canadian violinist, composer and conductor who tried to make people fall in love with classical music by making it accessible. He brought energy and levity to his performances like few of his contemporaries could.

The sudden news of Brott’s death has left his fans, colleagues and students in shock, while tributes and messages have been pouring from from around the world for the internationally acclaimed star who studied with Leonard Bernstein, founded several orchestras and played for two popes.

To commemorate Brott, we’re joined by a few artistic collaborators who knew him well: Gideon Zelermyer is a classical tenor turned cantor in Montreal; Deborah Corber is the chair of the board of the Orchestre classique de Montréal; and violinist Janna Sailor, after working as Brott’s apprentice, now leads an all-female orchestra in Vancouver.

What we talked about:

Credits

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