Boris Brott is one of the most internationally recognized Canadian conductors, holding major posts as music director in Canada and the United States. He enjoys an international career as guest conductor, educator, motivational speaker and cultural ambassador.

Thousands of people across corporate America have heard Boris Brott's interactive presentation — he draws comparisons between business organizations and symphony orchestras. Both have common goals, each must perform in harmony to achieve those goals, and each continually strives for perfection. Often, both attempt to be innovative and creative.

Boris draws out the juxtaposition of teamwork and leadership the need for creativity within an organization; the joy of communication and the achievement of success. All are explored through the medium of music.

Mr. Brott has won prizes in major international competitions: the Pan American Conductors Prize in Mexico, the Liverpool Conductors Competition in Great Britain, and the Dimitri Mitropoulos International Conductors Competition in New York, where he joined the ranks of Seiji Ozawa and Claudio Abbado as a Gold Medal Winner. In 1987, Mr. Brott was awarded Canada's highest civic honour, Officer of the Order of Canada. He was awarded an Honourary Doctorate of Law in 1988 at McMaster University, was made a Knight of Malta in 1990, selected as "International Man of the Year" by the International Biographical Center, in Cambridge England in 1992 and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts of Great Britain in 1996.

He has developed a corollary career as a motivational speaker giving 35 presentations annually to Fortune 500 companies around the world linking music and business. The speeches centre around the "teamwork" and "creativity" aspects of music and business. A partial list of recent audiences included CEOs of IBM, American Express, American Airlines, Sandoz, Compaq, Intel, General Electric, Pfizer, Pharmacia Upjohn, Sun Microsystems, and General Motors.

During his 25-minute presentation, these analogies are enhanced with slides and video. The audience hears of Beethoven's struggle, his quest for perfection...brief passages from some of Beethoven's best known works. Then, it's time to play together...

Boris instructs the audience to reach under their chairs where they will find a tonebar — a musical instrument with a mallet. The audience has been divided into five specific notes. After "rehearsing" and enjoying the levity and excitement, the audience is prepared to play Beethoven's Ode to Joy. Boris turns to the video screen, gives a signal, and a full symphony orchestra begins to play. At the appropriate point, he turns to the audience and "conducts" them in this informative, educational, and fun-filled presentation. The audience is thrilled to be playing a signifant part and to make music under the direction of a symphony conductor. Audiences and corporate executives find it a memorable and unique presentation.

Variations on "Playing Together"
• A live orchestra joins Boris on stage. Musicians and their instruments are introduced. A short musical example is played. The is repeated until an 11-piece orchestra is formed on stage.

• The meeting's host joins Boris in conducting the audience and/or explaining the similarities between their organization and a symphony orchestra.

• Each script is tailored to suit the meeting's theme or message.

• Specific concepts germane to the organization are brought out in the script.

• The presentation's length is suited to the requirements of program.

• Mr. Brott can act as host through the duration of the meeting.

"Lighting the Creative Flame"
Creativity rests in all our souls. This presentation demonstrates five steps that are at the heart of every creative process. Boris interacts with "Professor Siegfried" on screen, and together they take the audience through the steps necessary to concoct anything from E=MC2 to an enlightened business plan to the perfect Christmas party.

This is an interactive presentation involving the meeting’s host as well as the audience. But the heart of the piece rests with Boris and Professor Siegfried taking the steps necessary to "light the creative flame." After each step, Boris "conducts" the audience playing their tone bars, and concludes his presentation with a roaring rendition of the music from Star Wars.