David Cooper is widely recognized as one of the most versatile trumpets players in the Midwest. The summer and fall of 2014 plan to be busy as there are four recording projects in the works! One is going to be a jazz quartet setting of mostly original compositions and another is a recording of the concerti of Lauren Bernofsky, James Stephenson and Anthony Plog.
As a performer, his affiliations include the Madison Symphony Orchestra, the Isthmus Brass, The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Tom Gullion, The Art Blakey Tribute Band, and The Tim Whalen Nonet. He has given solo recitals at the Universities of: Duluth, Wyoming, Wisconsin, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Whitewater, UW-Green Bay, UW-LaCrosse and Lawrence Conservatory. He has also given solo recitals at ITG Conference, NY Brass Conference, Central Conservatory of Beijing, China. Ensemble affiliations have included the Wisconsin Brass Quintet, the Milwaukee, Fox Valley, Canton and La Crosse Symphony Orchestras, The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, The Dallas Brass, Walt Disney World, and the Aspen Jazz Ensemble.
As an educator, Dr. Cooper is an associate professor of trumpet and jazz studies at the University of Wisconsin – Platteville. He is currently chairing the Music Department until 2015. In 2005, Cooper hosted a trumpet festival that attracted over 450 participants. Among the festival activities was a recital that featured himself along with principal guests; Adolph Herseth, Doc Severinsen, Charles Lazarus, members of the Minnesota Orchestra trumpet section, among other wonderful players. He is also the host and author of the educational blog www.AllThingsTrumpet.com. Along with repertoire and equipment reviews, you will be able to find a number of his music publications and recordings on this site. These publications include an adaptation of the Bach cello suites for trumpet, numerous jazz transcription books, two book/CDs of arias arranged and adapted for Mezzo-Soprano and Trumpet, and duet books from the compositions of Bartok, Tellemann and Sachse. Publishing affiliations include, Tom Harrell, Hal Leonard Corp., Chas. Colin Publishing, Roger Dean Publications and the Lorenz Corp.
Dr. Cooper received his Bachelor of Music from Lawrence Conservatory of Music in Appleton, WI, his Master of Music from the University of Akron in Ohio, and his Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. David is a Conn-Selmer Artist, and plays Bach Artisan Bb, C, Eb and piccolo trumpets.