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Leonid HambroAmerican pianist and composer
Date of Birth: 26.06.1920
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Seymour Lipkin: A Virtuoso at the Piano
- Early Career and Collaboration
- Partnership with Victor Borge and Humorous Compositions
- Leadership and Continued Performances
Seymour Lipkin: A Virtuoso at the Piano
Early Life and EducationSeymour Lipkin, an American pianist and composer of Russian-Jewish descent, was born into a musical family. His father, Semyon Muzykant, was a piano accompanist who changed his surname to Gambro after obtaining a US visa. Following in his father's footsteps, Gambro pursued music, graduating from the Juilliard School in 1946 and winning the prestigious Naumburg International Piano Competition the same year.
Early Career and Collaboration
In the 1940s and 50s, Gambro collaborated with pianist Yashka Zayde, hosting programs on the classical music radio station WQXR in New York and performing concerts as a duo. In 1952, Gambro made headlines when he learned and performed Paul Hindemith's complex composition within 24 hours, replacing an indisposed performer in front of the composer himself. Hindemith, impressed by the feat, remarked that the audience had witnessed "a kind of miracle."
Partnership with Victor Borge and Humorous Compositions
From 1961 to 1970, Gambro partnered with the renowned American entertainer Victor Borge. During this period, Gambro composed several humorous pieces, including the "Happy Birthday, Dear Ludwig!" variations. This work playfully reimagined the popular "Happy Birthday to You" melody in the style of Beethoven, incorporating familiar tunes from the composer's works like the "Moonlight Sonata" and "Für Elise."
Leadership and Continued Performances
In 1970, Gambro became Head of Piano at the California Institute of the Arts, a position he held until 1992. Despite retiring from teaching, he continued to perform, forming a quartet with three of his former students. Notably, Gambro performed at the first annual gala dinner of the New York Society for Ethical Culture in 2003.
