Ontario Arts Review names BMF one of its top 10 performances of 2010

Thanks to Danny & Terry Gaisin for naming our performance of Firebird & Other Legends as one of Ontario Arts Reviews Top Ten Performances of 2010! Brott Festival would like to thank Danny and Terry for their unwavering and enthusiastic support of the arts scene in southern Ontario. We truly appreciate friends like you!

“THE FIREBIRD”Last year, the NATIONAL ACADEMY ORCHESTRA’s “Brott Summer Festival” hit a home run with Mussorgsky’s ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’. This year his [and their] Stravinsky Firebird was a multi-dimensional interpretation. Intrinsically, Firebird is an orchestral challenge because of the numerous solo instances. One individual screw-up and the entire attempt fails. Fortunately, the NAO musicians were faultless and the accompanying choreography by Ottawa’s School of Dance under Merrilee Hodgins visually presented the story of the Russian Prince & his birdie. This presentation alone was a Top-Ten shoo-in’ but Brott’s programme added projected works by Maxine Noel that accompanied a new First Nations composition by Malcolm Forsyth. The evening opened with the Beethoven ‘Creatures of Prometheus’ and was vocally interpreted by the incomparable Veronica Tennant who also insightfully revealed the story behind Swan Lake. The musical pas de deux by concertmaster Skazinetsky and the harp of Erica Goodman was a spine-tingling moment. The Canada Council for the Arts contribution to this event was more than a gift; it was an investment

Shaq Attacks at the Podium!

Boris Brott on The Agenda with Steve Paikin

A very fine interview conducted by one of Canada's best journalists, fellow Hamiltonian Steve Paikin.

HAMILTON LIVE PREVIEWS MESSIAH WITH MIA LENNOX WILLIAMS

Tune into Cable 14 Hamilton Live tonight to catch a preview of Handel's Messiah with Hamilton's own fabulous Mia Lennox-Williams who just happens to be our alto soloist for our upcoming performances of Handel's Messiah.

Lennox Williams performs "O Thou That Tell Us Good Tidings to Zion"

The show, hosted and produced by Linda Rourke, runs every hour on the half hour beginning at 5:30 pm.

BORIS TALKS CONDUCTING WITH STEVE PAIKIN

Hamilton Maestro appears on TVOntario’s The Agenda on December 8th, 8 PM

HAMILTON – Brott Music Festival and National Academy Orchestra founding Artistic Director Boris Brott sits down to discuss music and his conducting career with TVOntario’s Steve Paikin on the station’s flagship current affairs program, The Agenda on Wednesday December 8, 2010.

Brott has a long and storied career transforming Canadian orchestras and in recent years has seen an explosion in guest conducting duties in Europe, particularly in Italy, where he is scheduled to conduct three fully staged operas in 2011. He is perhaps best known for leading the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra to international acclaim in the 1970s and 80s and for his charismatic style and innovative approach to programming classical concerts.

Paikin, a Hamilton native, is the anchor and senior editor of the program that he describes as featuring “more intelligent analysis, and more robust, thought-provoking debate and discussion among newsmakers and experts.”

The show airs weekdays on TVO at 8 and 11 pm. Content is available on demand online at tvo.org and through mobile media. http://www.tvo.org/cfmx/tvoorg/theagenda/

Letter: Every Child Deserves Music In Their Lives

Dear Maestro Brott:

I had the good fortune today to go to Hamilton Place with my daughter's grade 7 class. It was an " Ah Ha " full circle moment for me as a parent today.

Before there was an instrumental music program city wide in Hamilton ( Tweedsmuir was still new to the program) You brought each section or sent out each section of the orchestra to the schools to teach about the different musical instruments. ( I went to Prince of Wales) The year was 1975. Then at the end of the sessions, we were brought to Hamilton Place to see them all together in a concert setting. Because of that knowledge and experience, I went way out of my comfort zone and took the instrumental music in grade 9 at Scott Park Secondary. I learned the French Horn.

I also had the good fortune of playing in the HPYO with Mr. Mallory and went to Banff. Martin Beaver was our soloist. All that being said, I want to thank you for having and continuing these very important programs for the kids today. I sat in the audience today and watched the kids from our school R.A. Riddell watch laugh and learn about some of the best music out there and ask questions. I was able to share with them my experiences on playing an instrument. I took a 25 year break ( i did not have my own horn) and after all that time, bought a horn, practised more than when i was in school and now have the joy of playing again. My eldest daughter plays flute, and now my youngest is learning clarinet / alto sax.

In this day and age where cut backs seem to be the norm, the Arts programs always take the biggest hit. And most schools are barely hanging on to their instrumental programs. I am lucky that our school R.A. Riddell has a very strong program.

All of this being said , I just want to thank you for your dedication to the City of Hamilton, but more importantly to the children of Hamilton by bringing this wonderful opportunity to hear, experience, and enjoy classical music. It was very entertaining this afternoon and we learned a lot. In fact the kids wanted to hear more.

For me personally, thank you for this gift that I shared with my daughter. Just so you know too, I got to share with some of her classmates today on how you conducted me. You see when I was in the HPYO, you were our Conductor to prepare us for the joint concert we were doing with the "big" orchestra HPO, that was being taped for the Richard Gale show on CKDS as we were preparing to go to Banff for the first time. It truly was a learning experience although difficult you demanded the best from us and pushed us to strive to be the best.

You have a large heart sir and thank you for sharing your love of music and that every child deserves a chance for music in their lives.

Happiest of Holidays to you and yours and look forward to next year.
Respectfully Yours

Mrs. Debbie Burke