Jonathan Cohen (Musician)
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Cohen is an pianist
, composer
and musical director.
He is particularly well known for his work on many BBC children's programmes from the 1960s to the 1990s, including Play School, Play Away
, Rentaghost
and Jackanory
. He had joined Play School in 1967 after graduating from the Royal Academy of Music
.
He would frequently appear on some of these programmes, like Play Away where he would front the Play Away Band and sometime present some of the musical items. A standard item, much loved by children, would be to watch K'Too, the Play School cockatoo dance along to Cohen's playing.
In the latter part of his career he became heavily involved with the BBC Schools
service, most famously co-presenting Music Time
, a popular long-running series aimed at primary school children, with Helen Spiers; first aired in 1970, and presented by Cohen from 1983, this series was heavily focused on teaching singing and instrumentation to children. He also had prominent roles on several other BBC Schools series aimed at older Junior children, notably the award-winning series The Music Arcade (1979-1986), and Into Music, from 1988 and 1989, again aimed at older children, but this time using an "audience participation" approach on the part of the students. In 1991 the last new programmes of Music Time were broadcast.
Although he has not been regularly seen on TV since then, he has performed at the Royal Albert Hall
in a show called Christmas Carol Singalong, where he performed his own arrangements of traditional Christmas songs and carols.
In 2005 he staged a theatre production called Still Playing Away alongside former Play Away presenter Brian Cant
which was a trip down memory lane of the 60's, 70's and 80's.
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and musical director.
He is particularly well known for his work on many BBC children's programmes from the 1960s to the 1990s, including Play School, Play Away
Play Away
Play Away was a sister programme to Play School in the UK, aimed at slightly older children. It ran from 1971 until 1984. While Play School had a more gentle, intimate feel, featuring just two presenters in a studio with the usual collection of toys and pets, Play Away was much more lively,...
, Rentaghost
Rentaghost
Rentaghost is a British children's television comedy show, broadcast by the BBC between 6 January 1976 and 6 November 1984. The show's plot centred on the antics of a number of ghosts who worked for a firm called Rentaghost, which rented out the ghosts for various tasks.-Background:The company,...
and Jackanory
Jackanory
Jackanory is a long-running BBC children's television series that was designed to stimulate an interest in reading. The show was first transmitted on 13 December 1965, the first story being the fairy-tale Cap o' Rushes read by Lee Montague. Jackanory continued to be broadcast until 24 March 1996,...
. He had joined Play School in 1967 after graduating from the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
.
He would frequently appear on some of these programmes, like Play Away where he would front the Play Away Band and sometime present some of the musical items. A standard item, much loved by children, would be to watch K'Too, the Play School cockatoo dance along to Cohen's playing.
In the latter part of his career he became heavily involved with the BBC Schools
BBC Schools
BBC Schools, also known as BBC for Schools and Colleges, is the educational programming strand set up by the BBC in 1957, broadcasting a range of educational programmes for children aged 5–16. From launch until June 1983, programming was based on BBC One during the daytime, before programming was...
service, most famously co-presenting Music Time
Music Time (BBC)
Music Time was a BBC schools television series which ran from autumn 1970 to spring 1991, with repeats airing until summer 1994. It was presented initially by Mari Griffith and Ian Humphris, from 1977 by Kathryn Harries and Peter Coombe and then from 1983 by Jonathan Cohen and Helen Speirs...
, a popular long-running series aimed at primary school children, with Helen Spiers; first aired in 1970, and presented by Cohen from 1983, this series was heavily focused on teaching singing and instrumentation to children. He also had prominent roles on several other BBC Schools series aimed at older Junior children, notably the award-winning series The Music Arcade (1979-1986), and Into Music, from 1988 and 1989, again aimed at older children, but this time using an "audience participation" approach on the part of the students. In 1991 the last new programmes of Music Time were broadcast.
Although he has not been regularly seen on TV since then, he has performed at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
in a show called Christmas Carol Singalong, where he performed his own arrangements of traditional Christmas songs and carols.
In 2005 he staged a theatre production called Still Playing Away alongside former Play Away presenter Brian Cant
Brian Cant
Brian Cant is an English actor, television presenter and writer.-Personal life:Born in Ipswich, he currently lives in Buckinghamshire and is married to writer and director Cherry Britton, sister of TV presenter Fern Britton and actor Jasper Britton. They have three children, daughter Rose, and...
which was a trip down memory lane of the 60's, 70's and 80's.
External links
- "Brian goes back to playschool", Bucks Free Press, 9 November 2005 (viewed 12 July 2009)
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00mg3yv, BBC - The Look of Love