Biography
Founder and Artistic Director of the renowned Montreal Chamber Music Festival (1995), Professor of Cello & Chamber Music (1989), and Conductor of the Grand Orchestre à Cordes at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal, Denis Brott is internationally recognized as one of Canada’s finest musicians.
Performance
Denis Brott’s concert tours have taken him to four continents as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. He was a cellist in the Orford String Quartet for almost a decade and recorded 25 discs, including Beethoven's complete string quartets. These recordings won the Grand Prix du Disque Award and two Juno Awards for Best Chamber Ensemble Classical Recording. The quartet was named one of the top ten Canadian classical ensembles of the 20th century. Denis has also appeared as a guest artist with numerous world-renowned ensembles, including the Guarneri, Emerson, Tokyo, Fine Arts, and Dover Quartets.
Awards
Denis Brott is the recipient of the Great Montrealer Award and the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of his cultural contributions to Canada. In 2014, Canada’s Governor General David Johnston bestowed upon him the Order of Canada for his outstanding achievements, dedication to the community, and service to the nation. In December 2016, Denis Brott was invested in the Order of Montreal for his notable contributions to the international reputation of Montreal and his exemplary commitment to the community. In June 2023, he was invested in the Ordre national du Québec.
Education
Denis Brott studied at the Juilliard School, Indiana University, and the University of Southern California. His principal teachers include Leonard Rose, Janos Starker, and Gregor Piatigorsky, who are among the world's finest cellists.
Competitions
At a young age, Denis won several competitions, including the Washington, D.C., Merriweather Post Competition, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra Competition, the Los Angeles Young Musicians Foundation Debut Award, the New York Affiliate Artists Award, and the Munich International Cello Competition.
Jury Member
Denis Brott has been a jury member for numerous distinguished international competitions, including the Munich Cello and String Quartet Competitions, the Banff and Evian International String Quartet Competitions, and most recently, the Montreal International Piano Competition Chamber Music Prize. In August 2025, he will be an audience animator at the Banff International String Quartet Competition.
Musical Instrument Bank
Denis Brott was the motivating force and co-founder of the Canada Council for the Arts Musical Instrument Bank (MIB) (1985). With philanthropist William Turner, he secured the first instrument in the bank, a magnificent 1706 David Tecchler cello. In recognition of this accomplishment, the MIB awarded Denis the Tecchler for his lifetime use, naming it the Brott-Turner Tecchler in his and Mr. Turner’s honour
Executive Producer and Project Initiator
As Executive Producer, Denis has curated more than 25 videos. In 2022, beginning with the CHUM hospital, he initiated a series of admission-free Health and Wellness Concerts for hospital patients, their families, and healthcare workers. In 2024, with the sponsorship of TD Bank, a two-year grant will ensure the continuity of this project, expanding it to include most major hospitals in Montreal and the surrounding area.
Guest Teaching
Since the fall of 2018, Denis has been a visiting professor at the Nederlandse Strijkkwartet Academie (NSKA) in Amsterdam, where he teaches lessons and masterclasses in string quartet performance. He is also a regular guest teacher of cello and chamber music at the Royal College of Music in London, England; the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto; and the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna.
Montreal Chamber Music Festival
The Montreal Chamber Music Festival, founded by Denis Brott in 1995, will celebrate 30 years of concert giving in June 2025.