Rob Cowan was born in London in 1948, and first discovered music while convalescing from a long childhood illness. He started his musical career in the BBC Music Department, but then spent 19 years working for the music publisher Boosey & Hawkes, for the last 11 years as the company’s music archivist, and also as editor of the Boosey & Hawkes Music Diary.

He published his first record reviews in 1967. In 1985 he joined the team of the magazine CD Review, of which he became editor. He edited Gramophone’s budget CD review Classics before joining Keith Shadwick as co-presenter of Classic FM’s Classic Verdict, a weekly CD review programme. From May 1999 to March 2001 he devised and presented Classic FM’s Sunday night review show CD Choice.

Rob has long been a contributor to BBC Radio 3, presenting the first series of `Off the Record’, and appearing as a regular live guest on Record Review (now CD Review). From April 2001 to March 2007 he presented CD Masters for Radio 3 in conjunction with his co-presenter Jonathan Swain, and he now presents the Radio 3 Breakfast Show. He continues to work as a music critic and journalist for The Independent newspaper, and as Contributing Editor of Gramophone.

Jonathan Swain decided at an early age that he had little talent for performing music, but after trying his hand at Law he settled on a career in music, writing for Gramophone magazine, and contributing to and co-presenting Radio 3’s Record Review (now CD Review).

He co-presented CD Masters on Radio 3 with Rob Cowan, and is now the principal presenter of `Through the Night’.