麻豆影院

At home in Las Vegas, since 1980, acclaimed composer and music producer Timothy Cooper has garnered a wealth of experience in every aspect of the music industry. With performance credits that range from the Las Vegas Strip and the rock 鈥榥鈥� roll scene in Los Angeles to organist, pianist, composer and musical director for Protestant and Roman Catholic churches, as well as Jewish temples, Cooper (MM 鈥�77) was the first Las Vegas composer selected to write and produce original music soundtracks for major hotel productions鈥攚ith two shows running concurrently.

鈥淚 knew from my undergrad days that I wanted to make a living as a commercial musician,鈥� says Cooper, whose formal education also includes undergraduate degrees in music and anthropology at State University of New York (SUNY) at Oswego and the University of Pisa, Italy, in his junior year, along with an advanced certificate in recording sciences from the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in Tempe, Arizona. 鈥淏ut at CU 麻豆影院, I indulged in the sound of pipe organs, which I鈥檝e always been attracted to.鈥�

Indeed, Cooper earned a master鈥檚 in organ performance at the College of Music. 鈥淭urns out, being an organist gave me a tremendous advantage over other keyboard players in Vegas, as did the benefits of a liberal arts education,鈥� he continues. 鈥淲hile there鈥檚 much to be said for places like The Juilliard School or the Eastman School of Music, I believe that having a more well-rounded education better teaches you how to learn and how to roll with the punches.鈥�

Being at the right place at the right time also figured into Cooper鈥檚 notable success, culminating in such honors as being featured in Keyboard magazine for his original compositions, and the operating systems he designed for and employed in 鈥淜ing Arthur鈥檚 Tournament鈥� (Excalibur Hotel & Casino), 鈥淲inds of the Gods鈥� (Luxor Hotel & Casino) and 鈥淎bracadabra鈥� (Aladdin Hotel & Casino, now Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino). Additionally, Cooper was commissioned to compose a Roman Catholic mass for the installation of the Catholic Diocese of Southern Nevada, received a SUNY distinguished alumni award, and is a sought-after lecturer and keynote speaker.

鈥淔rom the time I was 15 years old, I鈥檝e had the keys to churches,鈥� recalls Cooper, whose family attended Trinity Lutheran Church in 麻豆影院. 鈥淚 was playing in churches by then, and have always loved to just sit in the sanctuaries at night when no one was there. There鈥檚 a certain residual energy in places of communal worship that I鈥檝e always been drawn to. I have always felt that energy as a commercial musician, which further fed my penchant for people and a sense of community, albeit in a very different way.鈥�

Later on, as composer and music director at the Aladdin Hotel, Cooper immersed himself in music technologies of the late 80s. 鈥淭he technology was just overwhelming, especially for someone who didn鈥檛 come from a tech-oriented background,鈥� he says. 鈥淏ut you just have to know this stuff inside and out, and having a liberal arts education鈥擨 call it having a degree in learning鈥攈elps facilitate that. Eventually, I became a whiz.鈥�

Similarly, Cooper immersed himself in Arabic music to inform the Egyptian mood of 鈥淲inds of the Gods,鈥� and in whatever culture, era and genre was called for in his wide-reaching musical career.

鈥淚t鈥檚 so rare and such a privilege to make a living as an artist,鈥� he notes. So much so, that Cooper is committed to giving back鈥攖o the Las Vegas community and to his CU 麻豆影院 alma mater where, he says, the late Everett Hilty鈥攖hen head of the organ department at the College of Music鈥斺�渢ook a chance on me,鈥� and where the young Cooper earned his chops as a recording engineer at Grusin Music Hall. He also calls out the enduring influence of Professor Emeritus Kevin McCarthy鈥攚ho taught him the elements of music鈥攁nd fondly looks back on CU 麻豆影院鈥檚 鈥渂eautiful campus and astounding brain trust.鈥�

Specifically, Cooper established an endowment at the CU College of Music. 鈥淵ou only have what you give,鈥� he says, citing the inspiration of Chilean writer Isabel Allende. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 the point of talent and success if you don鈥檛 use it to connect with others, with the world, with the divine? In giving, I feel the spirits of my family and teachers inside of me like a soft presence.鈥�

Now officially retired, having a recording studio and serving as music director for two temples and a church keep Cooper busy, as does his love of languages鈥攂uilding on his fluency in Italian and French, he鈥檚 currently studying Hebrew. 鈥淚 believe in visualization and thinking big, and it was always my dream to be a part of Las Vegas鈥� vibrant arts community. That dream hit with a vengeance.

鈥淏ut you also have to learn to take risks and move where the work is, and I can鈥檛 think of a better boomtown for work than Vegas.鈥�