Cooper began studying piano at the age of five with Dr. Ji Hyun Kim from the Bradley University Music Department. In 2023, he had the privilege to study under Professor Valerie Middleton at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music. Cooper has won first-place honors in numerous international piano competitions and performed at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall in New York, the Royal Albert Hall in London, and Beethoven-Haus in Bonn, Germany. He actively shares his music with the community through piano recitals at local retirement homes, annual Christmas shows, and fundraising events for organizations such as the Dream Center.
In addition to piano, Cooper enjoys playing the guitar and singing. He is an avid swimmer and competes on his school swim team. His interests also extend to robotics, coding, and engineering through Vanderbilt University’s enrichment program for talented youth (SAVY). He enjoys reading and building Legos and robots in his free time.
Notable Performance Venues
International:
Beethoven-Haus, Bonn, Germany (2023)
Carnegie Hall, New York, NY (2022, 2023)
Royal Albert Hall, London, England (2023)
Domestic:
The Heritage at Brentwood, Brentwood, TN (2024)
Abe’s Garden Community, Nashville, TN (2024)
Belmont University, Nashville, TN (2024)
Liscomb University, Nashville, TN (2023, 2024)
Turner Hall at Blair School of Music, Nashville, TN (2023)
Edmondson Elementary School, Brentwood, TN (2023)
Natchez Trace Church, Nashville, TN (2022)
Betty Jayne Performance Center, Peoria, IL (2021)
Lutheran Hillside Village, Peoria, IL (2021)
Peoria Academy, Peoria, IL (2021)
Peoria Art Guild CEFCU Stage (2021)
Awards and Honors
06/01/2024: TMTA State Competition – Honorable Mention
03/02/2024: NAMTA Audition – Superior Rating
02/24/2024: NPAC Audition – Superior+ Rating
12/22/2023: Bonn Germany Grand Prize Virtuoso – First Prize
07/14/2023: Golden Classical International Music Competition – 1st Prize
05/23/2022: Gold Keys Festival, Carnegie Hall – Gold Prize
04/13/2022: London Grand Prize Virtuoso – First Prize
