Fondation Foundation Help Generations help kids generationsfoundation.com 514-933-8585 VOL. XXXlI NO 2 NOVEMBER 2017 L ES T T WE FORGE Lifelong musician Boris Brott celebrates Handel’s Messiah MONTREAL’S LEADING BUYER OF RARE COINS SINCE 1928 WE WILL GIVE YOU TOP DOLLAR FOR ALL YOUR OLD COINS & PAPER MONEY Canada, USA, World, Ancient and Medieval coins Silver, Gold and Platinum wanted in coins, bars or jewellery 1117 Ste. Catherine W, Suite 700, Montreal 514-289-9761 carsleys.comrsleys.com 2 THE SENIOR TIMES November 2017 theseniortimes.com MCO brings us sparkling concerts Photo: Courtesy of MCO Property features Irwin Block was a new composition by his father. Carrefour Asked by Pelletier in an interview • All inclusive Shortly after his third birthday during the show what it was like to • Above ground parking Boris Brott found himself with a prepare a piece written by his father, Victoria • Elevator violin and bow in his hands. It was young Boris replied: “Most enjoyable, the 1940s, and it was perhaps not except every time I learned to play it, • Games room surprising because little Boris was my father would change the notes!” • Indoor swimming pool the first-born to his musician par- By the time he was a West Hill • On-site laundry facilities ents, Alexander and Lotte Brott. High School student, Boris realized The family was living in his grand- he wanted to be a conductor. He • On-site management parents’ fourth-floor walk-up on had studied in Mexico City with the • Sauna Edouard Montpetit, then called Ma- Russian conductor and teacher Igor Leasing office hours plewood, in Outremont, and young • Security Card Access Markevitch, and recalled, “I needed Monday–Friday 9am–8pm Boris was surrounded by music. an orchestra that I could practice Saturday 10am–5pm • 1 month FREE on a As it turned out, he was gifted, and with.” With friends, he created the Sunday 12pm–5pm 13 month lease that winning combination of nature Philharmonic Youth Orchestra of and nurture led to advanced studies, Montreal and performed as a con- and a broad international career. ductor in public for the first time at Now 73, he commutes to Montreal l’Hermitage on Côte-des-Neiges. He from his home in Hamilton and is was all of 15. piloting the McGill Chamber Or- His advanced training and con- chestra through its 78th year. ducting career in Europe and North As he prepared to lead this high- America developed from there, and caliber formation once again in two included, after winning first prize in versions of Handel’s Messiah, and a the Dmitri Mitropoulos competi- special Christmas concert at Notre tion, working as assistant to Leonard Dame Basilica, Brott reflected on a Bernstein and the New York Phil- childhood and career that included harmonic in 1968-69. taking over the orchestra founded by It was at that point that he was his late dad. hired as a consultant on what was “My earliest recollection is giving a feasibility project to build a con- concerts. Every Saturday my mother cert hall in Hamilton, and ended up would put out my stuffed animals living there after meeting Ardyth and put bow ties on them, and I had Webster, the woman who became to give concerts for them, whatever his wife and with whom he raised I was practicing at the time,” he said three children. from the family cottage in Muskoka. Since the city is close to Pearson “They were a very appreciative airport, it enabled Brott to continue audience,” he quipped, adding his international career. At one time that “this was good training for me his responsibilities included being because I was never frightened of musical director at different times of audiences from that point forward.” seven different orchestras in Canada, 222 Woodstock Trail When he was five, legendary con- including those in Regina, Hamilton, ductor Wilfrid Pelletier, a family Winnipeg, and Halifax. Internation- Saint-Lambert, QC friend, invited young Boris to per- ally Brott was musical director of the form as a soloist with the Montreal BBC Symphony Orchestra in Wales, Intersection: Woodstock & Victoria Symphony Orchestra in its Young New West Symphony in Los Ange- Persons concerts, then held at the les, and was principal guest conduc- 438-793-9830 Auditorium du Plateau, opposite tor of opera at the Teatro Petruzzelli carrefourvictoria.com Lafontaine Park. His assigned piece Continued on page 4 theseniortimes.com November 2017 THE SENIOR TIMES 3 Marc Hervieux and Sharon Azrieli sing at Basilica Continued from page 3 that Brott says “looks at music in a in Bari, in addition to conducting in visual or theatrical sense” and is basi- Verona and Trieste in Italy. cally instrumental. The second is the A principal focus, since 1989, is Lyrique series that has a choral focus. the National Academy Orchestra he Interestingly, the first Messiah to founded in Hamilton, which offers be performed November 30 at the professional training for up to 20 Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul weeks in which successful applicants on Sherbrooke W. is the traditional are paired with established profes- version, to be sung in English. It is sionals. They perform in the annual part of the Beaux-Arts series. It fea- Brott Music Festival, said to be Can- tures soprano Hélène Brunet, coun- ada’s largest, in Hamilton and other tertenor Daniel Taylor, tenor Isaiah southern Ontario venues. Bell, and bass-baritone Joel Allison Brott’s roots, however, remain in as soloists, with the church choir. Montreal and in 2002 he took over Dec. 1, the MCO, with the same direction of the McGill Chamber choir and soloists, will perform the Turning Stone December 4-6 Messiah in a French version at the World-class gaming with over 2300 Orchestra, founded by his parents. of the newest Gaming Machines (Cellist Lotte Brott died in 1998, glorious Notre Dame Basilica in Old 2 deluxe overnight accommodations Alexander Brott died in 2005.) His Montreal. Part of the Lyrique series, 3x $20 meal credit younger brother Denis Brott, who it is a musical narrative on the Mes- $380 double, $555 single played cello with the Orford String siah’s creation, written and staged Grand memories Varadero Beach New York April 16-19 Quartet for more than eight years, by Pierre Audet and starring Luc Resort February 11-13, 2018 One of the most exciting cities of the world is artistic director of the Montreal Guérin as Handel’s butler. Enjoy Cuba’s blissful year-round climate, 3 nights lodging at Edison, 3 breakfasts stunning white sand beaches 31/2 hour city tour, Bilingual DMC guide Chamber Music Festival. Handel intended that the work be and crystal clear waters Brott says conductors Igor Markev- performed during Easter but Brott 7 nights lodging at Grand Memories Alaska Cruise June 4-11 Varadero Superior Rooms 8 days on board the Norwegian Sun itch, Pierre Monteux, and Leonard notes that in Montreal it has become All meals and drinks included Return flight with Air Canada, Ultimate Beverage Bernstein, were important influences, a beloved Christmas tradition. package, (alcohol and non-alcoholic) Round trip airfare from Montreal to All meals on board. Entertainment on board. and as for repertoire, he enjoys play- “I think people want to have a Varadero Cuba, with Sunwing Inside Cabin: $2335 Outside Cabin: $2435, ing works by his father, who wrote more contemplative view of Christ- $1065 double, $1385 single Balcony Cabin: $3199 Limited space, book early more than 100 orchestral pieces. mas, even though three-quarters As for more traditional repertoire, of the Messiah is centered around Brott says he has a particular love for Easter. The first third is centered Mozart and Mendelssohn and the around the Christmas story so it’s late Romantic masters Mahler, and become a tradition in Montreal, and Bruckner. The orchestra’s current a very successful one.” rebranding as MCO is an attempt to In a lighter vein, the MCO will be send a message to newer audiences welcoming the holiday spirit with that although the orchestra emerged another pre-Christmas concert: from the McGill Conservatory where December 20, the popular Canadian Alexander Brott was a professor, the tenor Marc Hervieux, soprano Sharon orchestra is not a student endeavour, Azrieli and the St. Lawrence Choir will but is made up of “the finest profes- be featured at the Notre-Dame Basil- sionals in Montreal. The quality of ica. The concert includes the gorgeous what we produce is on an interna- Christmas Concerto by Arcangelo • Blood tests to do but too busy to wait? th tional scale,” Brott says. It also signals Corelli, written in the late 17 century. • Skip the line and have them done quickly! to the MCO’s donors and supporters The program includes Ave Maria, that the orchestra is distinct from the Le premier Noël, White Christmas, university when it comes to financing. Quand les hommes vivront d’amour, Among changes, the repertoire now Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, and has two thrusts, the Beaux-Arts series Minuit, Chrétiens (O Holy Night). Large Selection of Incontinence Products Ask for a FREE SAMPLE HOME SERVICE no extra charge for readers of The Senior Times Mon Petit Fees can be covered by insurance Monde Inc. More than 12 locations around Laval Consultation and Discreet Home Delivery By appointment: 450-622-4556; 514-370-8556 514-955-0101 4 THE SENIOR TIMES November 2017 theseniortimes.com Quebec community groups hail visionary leaders Irwin Block Goldbloom and social worker Sheila Quebec’s English speaking commu- ing the needs and aspirations of Goldbloom for their contribution to nity has “enormous potential” and this community.