Jeff Cohen started playing the piano at the age of five. After studies at The Peabody Conservatory (Lillian Freundlich) in Baltimore (U.S.A.), Jeff’s interest in French music, particularly mélodie, took him to Paris in 1976, where he studied at the Conservatoire National. He went on to study with Leon Fleisher and Peter Feuchtwanger (London).

He has performed throughout the world with singers and instrumentalists such as Roberto Alagna, John Aler, June Anderson, Cecilia Bartoli, Jane Birkin, Dale Duesing, Renée Fleming, Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, Angela Gheorghiu, Ivry Gitlis, Ida Haendel, Sumi Jo, Steve Lacy, Noël Lee, Ute Lemper, François Le Roux, Mady Mesplé, Michel Portal...

Mr. Cohen resides in Paris and is currently professor at the Conservatoire National, teaching mélodie and Lied as well as coordinating the concert series on French song at the Bibliotheque Nationale de France with François Le Roux. In May of 2001, the French government sent Jeff Cohen to Yaoundé, Cameroun to coordinate their first music education program. He is a member of the Advisory Council of The Walden School, a summer music camp in the U.S.A. for young musicians interested in composition and creative training.

In November, 2009 Jeff Cohen was musical director and pianist in the Opéra Français de New York production, Debussy and Poe. He appeared as pianist in Peter Brook’s production Impressions de Pelléas as well as Roman Polanski’s staging of the play Masterclass in Paris. He conducted Giorgio Strehler’s production of Der Dreigroschenoper and assisted Myung-Whung Chung on Otello at the opening season of the Paris Bastille Opera.

Jeff Cohen has made a number of recordings, including a “live” recital at La Scala with Angela Gheorghiu, various compilations of French mélodie with François Le Roux (Duparc, Fauré, Gounod...), lieder by W.A. Mozart on fortepiano with Véronique Dietschy, Kurt Weill and cabaret songs with Ute Lemper, two-piano works with Noel Lee, as well as chamber music.

He has assisted conductors such as Sir George Solti, Christopher Hogwood, John Nelson and Michel Plasson on recordings with Decca and EMI.

He has worked as repetiteur at the Opéra de la Monnaie in Brussels, head of the music staff at the Chatelet Theater in Paris, professor at the Paris Opera Studio, and at the National Conservatory for Dramatic Arts.

French cable television station Canal J aired Jeff d’orchestre, a show written and presented by Jeff Cohen which introduces music to children. He has also composed original music for several French feature films, plays, and dance pieces.