Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

May 31, 1941 in New York City, NY

Death

:

March 13, 2021 in New York City, NY

Period

:

Baroque

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Chamber

 

Kenneth Cooper is a renowned classical music artist who has made significant contributions to the world of music as a harpsichordist, pianist, conductor, and musicologist. Born in New York City in 1941, Cooper showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of four. He went on to study at the Juilliard School of Music, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance. Cooper's interest in early music led him to study the harpsichord, an instrument that was experiencing a revival in the mid-20th century. He studied with Gustav Leonhardt in Amsterdam and returned to the United States to become one of the leading harpsichordists of his generation. He also studied conducting with Leonard Bernstein and Pierre Boulez, which helped him develop a deep understanding of the orchestral repertoire. Cooper's career as a performer began in the 1960s, when he performed with the New York Pro Musica, a group that specialized in early music. He also performed with the New York Philharmonic and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, among others. In 1970, he founded the Berkshire Bach Society, which presented concerts of Bach's music in the Berkshire region of Massachusetts. One of Cooper's most significant achievements was his recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations, which he recorded on the harpsichord in 1979. The recording was widely praised for its clarity and sensitivity, and it helped establish Cooper as one of the leading interpreters of Bach's music. He went on to record several other albums of Bach's music, including the Brandenburg Concertos and the Well-Tempered Clavier. Cooper's career as a conductor began in the 1980s, when he was appointed music director of the Berkshire Bach Ensemble. He also conducted the Handel and Haydn Society in Boston and the New York Collegium, among other groups. His conducting was praised for its clarity and precision, and he was known for his ability to bring out the best in his musicians. In addition to his performing career, Cooper is also a respected musicologist. He has written several books on early music, including "Baroque Music: Style and Performance" and "The Art of the Harpsichord." He has also taught at several universities, including Columbia University and the New England Conservatory of Music. Throughout his career, Cooper has received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the world of music. In 1991, he was awarded the Order of Merit by the government of Hungary for his work in promoting Hungarian music. He has also received the Noah Greenberg Award from the American Musicological Society and the Howard Mayer Brown Award from the Early Music Institute at Indiana University. Today, Cooper continues to perform, conduct, and teach, and he remains one of the most respected figures in the world of early music. His recordings and performances continue to inspire new generations of musicians, and his contributions to the field of musicology have helped deepen our understanding of the music of the past.

More....