“One of the greatest,” Hamilton’s “one-man tourism bureau” and a “true creative force” are just some of the phrases being used as many reached out to remember celebrated Canadian conductor Boris Brott who died after a tragic hit and run incident in Hamilton on Tuesday.
Since news of his death, tributes have been rolling in across the city and beyond for a music legend who found a place with the National Academy Orchestra of Canada, the Orchestre Classique de Montreal, and the Brott Music Festival.
“It is difficult to conceive that our darling husband, beloved father and fun-loving, doting Zaidie has been taken from us so suddenly and senselessly,” wife Ardyth said in a statement following Brott’s death.
Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger characterized Brott’s excellence in music and humanitarianism as “unmatched,” while Schitt’s Creek star and SCTV legend Eugene Levy said, “his brilliance as a maestro was only surpassed by his kindness as a man.”
Brott, born 1944 in Montreal, Que., made his permanent home in Hamilton founding the National Academy and his namesake festival following a stint as conductor of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra between 1969 and 1990.
In 1986, Brott became an Officer of the Order of Canada followed by an induction into the Order of Ontario in 2006.
The 78-year-old was killed in a chain of events in Hamilton now being investigated by Ontario’s police watchdog, the Special Investigations Unit.
The conductor leaves behind a wife, daughter Alexandra, and sons David and Benjamin.