News Release (January 14, 1968)

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fuws RELEASE NEW COLLEGE SARASOTA, FLORIDA 33578 813/ 355 7131 FOR RELEASE: SUNDAY, JANUARY 14, 1968 1 88 -1/11/68 Ref.: Furman C. Arthur (For use with main story on January 17 concert) SARASOTA--Leonid Hambro has a schizophrenic career. of his time is spent in classical concerts and recitals, on writine books on how to learn piano, and in making records. Ouite a bit of his life in these days also is spent as the foil for the comedy of another pianist, Victor Borge. Hambro has no regrets for his split career. He and Borge have been working together for six years and he finds that the remuneration is much greater than the concert trail, but he says, "I still nourish myself with that music that is dear to my heart." Borge and Hambro work together in an unrehearsed act. Hambro never knows what to expect. "Once in the show I'm playing with a toupee on my head--for a gag--and Borge sneaks around and lifts it off my head. I never try to get back at him. f 1y role is to give him a very strong skeleton to hang his gags on. And then I just sway tvith the breeze and take \>lhat comes," says Hambro. more

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NEW COLLEGE Page 2 On the other hand, Hambro is justifiably proud of his concert career. "There is probably not a major piece of music for piano that I have not done," the Chicago-born musician said. "I have played with more string virtuosi than any other single pianist. I have played with more different conductors. 1 have played with all the great conductors except those who have not touched down in North America." Yet he is one of the felv serious musicians who can unbend enough to perform along with Borge. He has no compunction about desecrating musical works in a comedy vein. This accounts for many derogatory comments from serious music lovers, but he feels that his fellow professional musicians approve of his role. As if his two roles were not enough, Hambro also lvrites music books for children, is a champion bridge and chess player, and composes background music for films and television. 30 -