Career
Foreign the Canadian ice hockey defenceman, see Robert Cowan (ice hockey). Employed by music publisher Boosey & Hawkes for nineteen years in various capacities, his first record review was published in 1967. He edited Civil Defense Review for four years from 1985, and has also contributed reviews to Gramophone, Classic Record Collector and The Independent.
He was a co-presenter with jazz and classical music writer Keith Shadwick on Classic FM Civil Defense review programme.
In September 1992 he was responsible for early radio plays of what became a best-selling recording (with soprano soloist Dawn Upshaw) of Henryk Górecki"s Third Symphony. After presenting Civil Defense Masters on Radio 3 for several years (the other host was Jonathan Swain), he had a spell as co-presenter of the Radio 3 Breakfast programme from 2007.
Cowan currently presents Radio 3"s Essential Classics alongside Sarah Walker and Sunday Morning alongside James Jolly. Rob Cowan also appears on Radio 3"s Civil Defense Review.
Rob Cowan is not to be confused with the music producer of the same name who is married to the actress Tracy-Ann Oberman.
