Masters student Cohen plays with Mannheim Steamroller for TV special

Steven Cohen
Steven Cohen

Steven Cohen could barely contain his excitement over the holidays. The second-year Glenn Korff School of Music masters student, pursuing a Master of Music in Horn Performance, had news he wanted to share but knew that he couldn’t quite let it out. But once it all came into place, a smiling Cohen finally got to share – he performed with Mannheim Steamroller on a movie special for TV and DVD for the 2015 holiday season as part of performances at Omaha’s Orpheum Theater.

“Filming this Mannheim Steamroller was nothing like I've ever experienced before,” Cohen said, who has had the pleasure of playing with Mannheim Steamroller since 2012 when he was asked to play for some of their Christmas Tour shows in Lincoln and Omaha. “Having played with Mannheim Steamroller before, their shows are always an amazing and fun experience for both me as a musician and a fan of their music, but these were something different. This taping was my first experience filming a live film of any kind.”

This past 2014 holiday season marked the 30th anniversary of Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas touring and the 40th anniversary of their Fresh Aire touring.

“Being that Mannheim Steamroller began both of these touring anniversaries at Omaha's Orpheum Theater, there was no better place to make the special than at the Orpheum, in my opinion,” Cohen said.

So in honor of these anniversaries and in conjunction with the release of a new album, Mannheim Steamroller 30/40, Mannheim Steamroller decided to make the movie special.

“The lights were brighter, the music louder and more high energy, and there were cameras everywhere, and because of those cameras, I had my first encounter with television makeup,” he said. “There is something unexplainable about all the shows I've played with Mannheim Steamroller, but these taping even more so.”

Cohen began his undergrad at Mannes College The New School for Music in 2008, studying horn with Philip Myers, Principal Horn of the New York Philharmonic. His time at Mannes was cut short in May 2010 after his sophomore year when he was hired as Principal Horn for The New 25th Anniversary Production of Les Misérables. After spending a year and a half with Les Mis, he decided to return to school and do so at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. His wife, a UNL alum, introduced him to the Husker way of life and he thought there would be no better place to continue his education then UNL. In August 2014, Cohen graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Music, with a minor in business.

Outside of his studies and his work during the holidays with Mannheim Steamroller, he lives an avid life as a freelance horn player. Cohen is a regular guest musician with both the Omaha Symphony and Lincoln's Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, he has performed with such Broadway shows as Wicked and The Lion King.

While he spends a lot of time playing professionally, he also spends time lecturing on various aspects of horn. In 2013, Cohen presented "from ON stage to UNDER it: Transforming from an Orchestra to Pit Hornist and Back" at the 45th International Horn Symposium. The DVD of "from ON stage to UNDER it" has been shared at conservatories of music and universities all over the world. Currently, he is finishing up a project that explores the music of J.S. Bach and how his music featuring the horn is performed and taught. "Bach and the Horn: An Exploration of Teaching and Performance Practice" is scheduled to be presented at multiple workshops and symposia this year.

“From the roaring crowds to the hours of close up shots and rehearsal over the two days of filming, I can say that this experience was nothing like the others as there is nothing more exciting than sharing your passion for music with the world.”

More details at: http://go.unl.edu/9tyf