Denis Brott - Montreal Chamber Music Festival

Montreal Chamber Music Festival

In 1990, Denis Brott moved back to his birth place, Montreal. Denis wanted to pursue the concept of having classical music more accessible to the public, along the lines of an international chamber music festival. He approached then mayor of Montreal, Pierre Bourque, and got a very favourable reaction to the idea. It was decided to hold the festival at The Chalet situated atop Mont Royal. In the center of the city of Montreal there are remnants of an ancient extinct volcano. Half of this was made into a park in 1876. Frederick Law Olmsted who designed Central Park in New York City was commissioned to landscape the new park. In 1995, the first Montreal Chamber Music Festival was held at The Chalet.

Mr. Brott has been the Festival's Artistic Director and its driving force since its inception. The mandate of the Festival is to organize an annual internationally acclaimed chamber music festival which would be held in historic locations, present internationally renowned chamber music artists and chamber music ensembles, promote the discovery of young and aspiring chamber music artists, allow promising young chamber music artists to interact with established musicians and to acquire experience essential to the development of their careers, promote exchanges between internationally renowned Canadian and foreign chamber music artists and enhance the stature of Montreal as a center for the promotion of cultural and artistic activities.

In 2006, the Festival spearheaded an exciting rejuvenation project in the heart of Montreal, known as the "Quartier des festivals". At that time, the Festival moved to the historic St. James United Church. With hand designed panels, the church is now an acoustically outstanding venue.