Biography

Born in Leeds (UK), Jason studied composition at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. After winning the 1988 Vivian Ellis Prize for Young Writers of Musicals, Jason was invited by Sir Peter Hall to compose the musical Born Again (Chichester Festival Theatre starring Mandy Patinkin and José Ferrer). As Associate Composer at Chichester 2003-5, Jason wrote music and lyrics for two new musicals; The Water Babies and Six Pictures of Lee Miller (nominated British Composer Awards). His musical adaptation of A Christmas Carol has played Chichester, West Yorkshire Playhouse and Birmingham Rep.

Jason has composed incidental music for over 50 plays at the NT, RSC, in the West End and on Broadway, including 17 productions for the late Steven Pimlott. Other directors have included Sam Mendes, Sean Mathias, Howard Davies, Antony Page, Adrian Noble, Samuel West, Elijah Moshinsky, Gregory Doran, Lindsay Posner, Edward Hall, Gale Edwards, Dominic Dromgoole, and Jonathan Church.

Orchestration credits includes the Menier Chocolate Factory’s Sunday in the Park with George, La Cage aux Folles and A Little Night Music (all also Broadway, winning the Drama Desk Award and two Tony nominations for Best Orchestrations), as well as their productions of Candide, She Loves Me and Fiddler on the Roof. Other notable productions include Richard Jones’ reimagined Annie Get Your Gun (Young Vic) with four pianos, and West Side Story (Manchester Royal Exchange).

Jason has accompanied many notable artists, including Elisabeth Welch, Betty Garrett, Kitty Carlisle Hart, and Michael Ball. He has accompanied Dame Felicity Lott in opera houses in Paris, Barcelona, Venice, Brussels, Lyon, Lille, Toulouse and Glyndebourne. He arranged, produced and played on Derek Jacobi and Anne Reid’s album You Are The Best Thing That Ever Has Happened To Me. His long association with Maria Friedman includes her Olivier Award-winning shows By Special Arrangement, By Extra Special Arrangement and Re-arranged, as well as her CDs Maria Friedman and Maria Friedman Sings the Great British Songbook.

An early publicity shot!