Brott holds Canada’s 2006 Order of Ontario

New West Symphony conductor Boris Brott has been appointed to the 2006 Order of Ontario by James K. Bartleman, lieutenant governor of Ontario, Canada.

Brott, who also holds the designation “Officer of the Order of Canada,” Canada’s highest national civilian honor, is the only performing artist among the 29 Order recipients.

The 62-year-old maestro was recognized for his work with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra during the 1970s and ’80s. He developed eight orchestras in Canada, five in Ontario.

His accomplishments in the fields of youth education and multimedia approaches to presenting classical music were also cited by nominators. Brott is music director of the McGill Chamber Orchestra in Montreal, the New West Symphony in Los Angeles, the National Academy Orchestra of Canada in Hamilton.

He is also the principal youth and family conductor for the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa.

“I am thrilled to be recognized by the province where I have spent most of my adult life,” says Brott. “My activities in Thunder Bay, Kitchener, Ottawa, Toronto and Hamilton have been some of the most rewarding of my career.”

Brott will conduct the New West Symphony at 8 p.m. on Jan. 20 at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.

The following week he will lead the orchestra in eight performances for more than 10,000 school children from throughout Ventura County in the annual Symphonic Adventures educational program.

For more information, call (805) 497-5800.