The PE Music Society will present A Victor Borge Tribute by Winand Grundling on Sunday, 1 October 2023 from 15h00 at the NMU south campus auditorium.
As a young boy I recall firing up the record player and listening with absolute fascination to Victor Borge – comedian and pianist extraordinnaire!
Victor Borge (born Børge Rosenbaum in Copenhagen in 1909) was a Danish musical comedian who trained as a concert pianist and went on to achieve legendary success in radio and television in America and Europe. His inimitable brand of comedy was a mixture of wordplay, physical gags, and dazzling virtuosity on the piano. He had a habit of stumbling into a grand piano, sounding a chord with his backside, and then admitting to his audience, “I play much better by ear, I can assure you.”
Victor Borge never forgot that his audiences were composed equally of those who knew classical music well, and those who didn’t, so he trod a fine line between physical and musical gags. He only has to play a few notes to convince you of his utter mastery of the piano. Victor Borge built his unconventional career on the back of his amazing musicianship. Just like a circus performer, you’ve got to be very good at walking the tightrope before you can act the fool!
Victor Borge began entertaining audiences in the 1940s, and nearly eighty years later he still cracks us up. It is this immortal combination of skill and humour which earned the man the title, ‘The Clown Prince Of Denmark’.
Winand Grundling completed his schooling at Brandwag High School in Uitenhage and obtained a BMus degree from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth. He began his organ studies under Colin Campbell in 2002 and has since given organ recitals on national and international level. In 2006, Winand was chosen as one of seventeen organists worldwide to attend the Canadian International Organ Summer School in Calgary. He passed his ATCL Trinity Recital (Licentiate) examinations, as well as his Unisa Performance Licentiate with distinction.
In 2012, he received the degree BMus Hons (cum laude) from Stellenbosch University with the guidance of Mario Nell. In 2012, Winand attended master classes presented by Professor Yin Kim (University of Seoul), as well as Professors Ton Koopman, Jean-Claude Zhender, Louis Bolliviard and Peter Planyavski at the International Haarlem Organ Summer School in the Netherlands, and Professor David Higgs at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, USA.
In 2014 and 2015, he attended the International Bach Academy in Amsterdam (Waalse Church) hosted by Jaques van Oortmerssen. On national level, Winand has won the following competitions and prizes: Overall winner of the ABSA National Youth Music Competition, Organ category winner at the ATKV Muziq Competition, the Charles Bryars Bursary, the SAMRO Merit Award, the Mabel Quick Music Bursary, as well as overall winner of the Unisa Overseas Music Bursary Competition, the ATKV Muziq Competition, and the SAKOV Overseas Music Bursary Competition.
At the 2012 Klein-Karoo National Arts Festival (KKNK), Winand received two Kanna Awards for his production, 14 Stasies van die Kruis – for Best Classical Music Production and Best Upcoming Artist. Winand is the organist of the Dutch Reformed Church Stellenbosch-Welgelegen and is an accompanist for various choirs and South African artists. Winand teaches music full-time.
Come and enjoy with us a hilarious tribute to Victor Borge from the perspective of Winand Grundling. A lot of laughs guaranteed!
Alan Straton
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