Internationally renowned driver Boris Brott was killed Tuesday morning in a hit and run collision in Hamilton.
Police later arrested a 33-year-old man in connection to a pair of collisions — the first of which killed Brott.
Brott, 78, was the artistic director and conductor of the Orchester classique de Montréal.
“The entire OCM family is in a state of disbelief,” the orchestra wrote in a Facebook post.
“Boris Brott was the beating heart of the Orchester classique de Montréal, a renowned leader in the world of classical music in North America and beyond, a mentor to countless young musicians, and a very dear friend to so many. His sudden passing of him thus leaves a deep void in our musical community, and a profound sadness in our personal lives.
Brott began his career in music early. At five years old, he performed violin with Les Concerts symphoniques de Montréal during a young people’s matinee.
At 14, Brott won first prize at the Pan-American conducting competition of 1958. He then went on to conduct across Canada. In 1959, Brott founded the Philharmonic Youth Orchestra of Montreal. From 1964 to 1967, Brott was principal conductor for the touring company of the Royal Ballet Covent Garden.
Most notably Brott spent the majority of his career at the helm of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra from 1969 to 1990 where he became a pillar of his community.
Since then, he has been best known in Hamilton for his annual Brott Summer Music Festival that he started in 1988 with his wife, Ardyth.
Brott was celebrated nationally in 1986 when he was appointed an officer of the Order of Canada. In 2004, he became the principal conductor of youth and education concerts for the National Arts Centre.
A motivational speaker and cultural ambassador, Brott was also a member of the Order of Ontario and an officer of the Order of Quebec.
He wasn’t just acclaimed in Canada, Brott also received an American Music Award in 1986, named a Knight of Malta in 1990 and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts of Great Britain in 1996. He also has had the honor of playing before Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the sudden and tragic passing of the one and only musical genius and Canadian artistic visionary Boris Brott,” reads a message on the Brott Music Festival’s Instagram page.
Police received a call just after 10 am reporting a car driving on the wrong side of the road on the Mountain and had an “all-car broadcast” for patrol to be on the lookout.
According to police Brott was hit around 10:20 am He was brought to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The driver fled the area but was arrested a short distance from the scene.
With files from the Star’s Isaac Phan Nay.
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