Background
Hambro, Leonid was born on June 26, 1920 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Son of Simeon and Dora (Levitan) Hambro.
American concert pianist and composer
Hambro, Leonid was born on June 26, 1920 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Son of Simeon and Dora (Levitan) Hambro.
Graduate, Julliard Graduate School Music, 1941.
He was the musical sidekick of Victor Borge for ten years, from 1961 to 1970 although he would occasionally perform with Borge throughout the remainder of Borge"s career. In 1970 he became the Head of the Piano Department of the California Institute of the Arts, at Valencia, California, and Assistant Dean of the School of Music, holding these posts until 1992. Leonid Hambro was Artist in Residence of the Aspen Institute and the official pianist of radio WQXR, New New York
He played with the P. Doctorate. Q. Bach performances and the Hoffnung Musical Spoof Concerts.
He published with Jascha Zayde The Complete Pianist (Ludlow Music Incorporated, New York). He also composed the piano piece Happy Birthday Dear Ludwig, a set of five variations on "Happy Birthday to You" in the style of many famous Beethoven pieces such as Minuet in G, Sonata Pathétique, Moonlight Sonata, Für Elise, and the Fifth Symphony.
Hambro released two albums on Cook Records, currently operated by Smithsonian Folkways. They were entitled, A Perspective of Beethoven-Pianoforte and Cook"s Tour of High Fidelity and released in 1953 and 1965, respectively.
He also recorded "Switched-On Gershwin", a duo album of Hambro"s classical piano, blended with the Moog syntheszier of Gershon Kingsley.
lieutenant came out on Alloy Valves and Control Records in 1970.
Served with United States Naval Reserve, 1942-1945. Member American Guild Musical Artists, Bohemians.
Married Crystal Cooper, April 1946 (annulled 1951). Married Barbara Schnapp, July 25, 1952. Children– Aralee, Simeon.
