 How long does it take to teach a packed audience of non-musicians to play a few bars of Ode to joy from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony? Boris Brott can do it in about 10 minutes. The conductor begins with a lively 25-minute presentation in which he draws parallels between music and business, examining the tenuous mix of teamwork and leadership, the need for creativity, and the joy of success. Then, he asks attendees to reach under their seats to find a tone bar - like a one-note xylophone. The audience has been divided into five sections; each equipped with a different note. After a few practice rounds, they've done it--they're playing classical music. And, more often than not, they stand and applaud, clapping as much for themselves as for Brott. Since 1991, this simple program has often taken the conductor on assignments worldwide. In his travels, he splits his time between leading symphony orchestras as a "guest conductor" and leading corporate groups. The idea actually came from an IBM executive who watched Brott conduct and asked if he would address IBM employees about the parallels between businesses and symphony orchestras. His tone-bar exercise in itself is a miniature model for how successful businesses are run, says Brott. "It demonstrates the skills of being part of a team. You have to listen, you have to take direction from a team leader, and you have to take direction from those around you." But while the client might strive for business results, Brott likes to reach his audience on a personal level. His greatest compliment is when a participant tells him: "This has really touched me." Equally fulfilling for Brott are the converts--audience members who, "believe it or not, have come to classical music as a result of this experience."
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