Jonathan Douglas is excited in receiving the MBE Award from the Queen. Jonathan Douglas together with his family outside the Buckingham Palace after receiving the MBE Award. Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) is delighted that Radio 4’s sophisticated broadcaster of classical music and arts programmes, Jonathan Douglas, was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) last Thursday (30 October) in London for his continuous contribution to music and the arts in Hong Kong. Recalling the precious thirty seconds when he received the MBE award from Her Majesty the Queen, Jonathan described it as a “unique and magical moment”, in which he was standing so close to the Queen that he felt as if they were the only two persons in the Palace ballroom. “It is just like a dream,” said Jonathan, “Just like Hugh Grant said in ‘Notting Hill’, ‘Surreal but nice’.” As a self-taught pianist, songwriter and singer with a natural flair in music making and a talented actor, Jonathan is dedicated to produce high quality arts broadcasting in Hong Kong. His long running Morning Call programme with classical music and arts news every Monday to Friday from 7am to 10am is a cultivated buffer zone between sleep and the frenetic pace of Hong Kong life for many Hong Kong professionals and music lovers in the past 20 years. As a consummate broadcaster blessed with an urbane yet lyrical voice, Jonathan has also interviewed great names in classical music such as Issac Stern and Joshua Bell throughout his career. Jonathan is also frequently invited to MC arts and music events. For several years, he directed RTHK radio drama productions for the International WorldPlay Festival. As an excellent actor giving sensitive and original interpretations of classic roles, Jonathan has acted in plays by Shakespeare including more recently appeared as Hamlet. His recent music performances include Accompanying Colour and his Angst for Adults earlier this year.

ccu@rthk.org.hk