Anker Buch

Danish violinist born 25 March 1940 in Vejgaard, Aalborg, died 1 April 2014 in Mønsted, Viborg. Among other things, Anker Buch became known in the US for mixing music and comedy. Anker Buch began playing the violin aged eight. He first studied with Rolf Kjeldahl, concertmaster of the Aalborg City Orchestra, before taking his first professional job with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. While there, he was encouraged to apply to the Juilliard School, where he studied 1958-64 under Ivan Galamian. During his time in New York he performed on the Johnny Carson and Merv Griffin shows, the latter alongside his compatriot Victor Borge (2). He gave his debut at the New York Town Hall in 1964, before touring Europe and the US with a team of Juilliard graduates, in the "Around the World in 80 Minutes" show. In 1981 Buch bought a limestone mine, Mønsted Kalkgruber, Denmark, which he turned into a tourist attraction, organising tours and giving concerts underground, until he sold it to the state in 1997. He also founded a two-week summer school for violinists on the island of Mors in north-west Denmark, where tutors included Lars Bjørnkjær, concertmaster of the Royal Danish Orchestra. Nikolaj Znaider was among the many young violinists to attend the school.