Jonathan Jensen

When not playing double bass with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Jonathan Jensen plays piano, recorder, whistle and ocarina for dance events, as well as composing tunes in many genres. At least a dozen choreographers have used his tunes for English country dances. Many of his original compositions and arrangements have been performed by the BSO and other ensembles. He was bitten by the songwriting bug in grade school, and has written music and/or lyrics for a large body of songs, rounds, song parodies and choral works, in styles ranging from classical to jazz, folk and Tin Pan Alley. Jonathan is especially drawn to the popular music of the 1920s through the 1940s and has developed a feel for playing the old songs in authentic period style, thanks to decades of listening to 78 rpm records.