Brownstein: Against long odds, Denis Brott brings chamber music fest back for 30th year

Montreal Gazette

3 days ago

Denis Brott is nothing if not resilient. Against the longest of odds, Brott kicks off his 30th Montreal Chamber Music Festival this weekend.
More than 40 acclaimed classical musicians from around the planet will partake in this anniversary edition, which runs from Saturday until June 22 and features 15 concerts, mostly taking place at Salle Bourgie.
'We're celebrating celebrations this year with some special concerts: National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21), the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War (June 18), the 40th anniversary of the establishment of this country's Musical Instrument Bank (June 16) and, of course, our 30th anniversary, among other celebrations,' notes the ever-upbeat Brott, the festival's founder and artistic director and also the co-founder, along with William Turner, of the Musical Instrument Bank.
But Brott doesn't mince words in talking about the issues, hardly celebratory, he has confronted over the last 30 years — particularly in the last five years:
'It's been quite the roller-coaster ride — and not always a good one.'
To say the least.
Although it's hard to imagine this Renaissance man — also a master cellist and music professor — ever embarking on a roller-coaster ride, the analogy is apt. But many would argue it's downright miraculous that he has managed to keep this festival afloat at all, let alone attracting the world-class talent he has this year.
It was just five years ago that physicians gave Brott little chance of survival — less than 10 per cent — after returning home from a series of European concerts. One of the earlier victims of COVID-19, Brott was to spend 32 days in an induced coma on a ventilator. His prognosis was grim, having endured all manner of infections, liver and kidney failure, not to mention terrifying hallucinations. Even after undergoing much physio following his release from hospital, it took him many months to play his cello again, let alone to simply pick it up.
While still dealing with some lingering COVID issues, Brott was picking up the pieces of his life when tragedy struck in April 2022. His older brother, Boris Brott, 78, a world-renowned maestro, died in a freakish accident after being struck by a car in a hit-and-run while walking in Hamilton, Ont. Boris, the artistic director and conductor of the Orchestre classique de Montréal, had also been the director of Hamilton's National Academy Orchestra of Canada and the Brott Music Festival.
Needless to say, Denis was crushed and still mourns the passing of his brother.
The two brothers hailed from noble musical genes: their mother, Lotte Brott, was a virtuoso cellist while their father, Alexander Brott, was a highly successful violinist/conductor/composer.
'Music has always been a saviour for myself and my family,' Brott says. 'Music has transcended everything for us. What I do is not a job — even though I do three jobs as a professor (at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal), a cellist and running the festival — it's my life.'
But Brott acknowledges that he is also dealing with a music world that is topsy-turvy, one where some will pay thousands of dollars to catch Taylor Swift in concert and many hundreds to check out singers a few rungs below her. He concedes that his festival sales are down 30 per cent from last year — and this is with tickets selling for about $60 on average for adults and $25 for students and children. This year's fest also features seven free concerts.
'You know what the definition of insanity is: I know what I know. I know what I don't know. And I don't know what I don't know. But on top of that is doing things and expecting different results. … I think it was Einstein who said that.
'Yet I can't believe we have done this festival for 30 years with magnificent artists, innovative programming, premières and partnerships and on and on. That's what's exciting to me. That's what gets my juices flowing and makes me feel young and effervescent even as I'm about to turn 75 this year.'
Paramount to Brott is bringing this year's seven free concerts to the festival.
'I've been trying to be the Pied Piper of democratizing chamber music,' he says. 'Since COVID, in my way to try to thank all the physicians who saved my life, I started a series of free health and wellness concerts at different hospitals during the year, and we have two such free concerts during this year's festival, both featuring the fantastic Janoska Ensemble from Vienna.'
These concerts take place June 10 at noon at The Neuro, the Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital on University St., and June 11 at 4:15 p.m. at the CHUM on St-Denis St.
Brott is also particularly pumped about Saturday's opening concert, Canadian Concertmasters Unite, at 7 p.m. at Salle Bourgie, a first such collaboration featuring concertmasters from Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton.
Not to be outdone is the Jazz and Jeans Family Concert, Sunday at 3:30 p.m. This one, also at Salle Bourgie, showcases Canadian fiddling legends Natalie McMaster and Donnell Leahy and — count 'em — seven of their offspring playing various instruments on the same stage.
But Brott has a special place in his heart for American trumpeter Jens Lindemann, who will be playing in three concerts: Liberation World War II (June 18 at 7:30 p.m. at Salle Bourgie), Concerto Night (June 19 at 7:30 p.m. at Salle Bourgie) and the Oscar Peterson Centennial (June 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Cinquième Salle in Place des Arts).
'Talk about rising from the ashes, Jens's house was torched by these horrible Pacific Palisades fires,' Brott says. 'He only had time to run into his burning home to save his seven trumpets, most of which are made of gold.
'Talk about dealing with the challenges life can throw your way.'