On December 8, the CHUM Foundation presented a benefit Christmas concert featuring world-renowned cellist Denis Brott. Accompanied by eight accomplished musicians, Brott struck just the right chord with the audience with a heart-warming performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.
A concert showcasing the talents of Quebec’s classical musicians
The brand-new Pierre-Péladeau Amphitheatre, located in the CHUM, served as the evening’s concert venue. During the performance, Brott took guests on an incredible musical journey, introducing them to international classical music stars, including a few musicians on the rise:
- Kevin Zhu – Concertmaster
- Marianne Dugal, Ana Drobac, Anaïs Saucier-Lafond et Ryan Truby — Violin
- Lambert Chen – Viola
- Denis Brott – Cello
- William Deslauriers‑Allain – Double bass
- Luc Beauséjour – Harpsichord
Get to know these incredible musicians. (Bios in French only)
A fundraising concert for the CHUM
For almost 25 years, the CHUM Foundation has supported innovation, research, teaching and care at the CHUM. Funds raised at events like this one help our hospital continue to innovate and provide Quebecers with the best medical care possible.
“Thank you for supporting all those who are battling disease. The CHUM is one of the marvels of our health care system, and it’s our job to support it however we can. Together, we can make sure that other patients get to benefit from the CHUM’s always top of the line care and cutting edge expertise, just as I did.”
From musician to philanthropist
Montréal-born Denis Brott is internationally recognized as one of the most distinguished musicians in Canada. He teaches the cello and chamber music at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec in Montréal and serves as the artistic director of the Montreal Chamber Music Festival.
In March 2020, after returning to Quebec from a European concert tour, Brott was diagnosed with COVID‑19 and admitted to the CHUM’s intensive care unit. The CHUM care teams helped him fend off multiple complications, even inducing a coma for 32 days.
“I’ve seen lots of hospitals during my travels, and I can assure you that the care I received at the CHUM was world class,” says Brott. “The teams did everything possible to make sure I would pull through. Their incredible expertise and state-of-the-art equipment made sure that happened.”
Brott has since made a full recovery, and he is profoundly grateful to all the people who saved his life and encouraged and supported him in his moment of need.
He now organizes musical performances for the CHUM community to thank and support its care teams in his own special way. The Christmas concert was the first benefit concert open to the public.
The Foundation would like to thank its partners who made this concert possible: Canimex, the Montreal Chamber Music Festival and the Azrieli Foundation. Thank you for helping us build a brighter future for health care!
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