Paul Cooper

Paul Cooper (May 19, 1926; Victoria, Illinois – April 4, 1996; Houston, Texas) was an American composer and teacher of classical music.

Born in Victoria, Illinois, he received degrees from the University of Southern California, where his teachers included Ernest Kanitz, Halsey Stevens, and Roger Sessions. He also studied with Nadia Boulanger as a Fulbright Fellow from 1953-1954.

Cooper taught at the University of Michigan School of Music and the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music prior to joining the Rice University Shepherd School of Music as a founding member in 1974. He remained there until his death in 1996, at which time he held the Lynette S. Autrey Endowed Chair and was the Composer-in-Residence at the Shepherd School.

Selected works Symphonies Symphony no. 1, 1966 Symphony no. 2 "Antiphons," 1971 Symphony no. 3 "Lamentations," 1971 Symphony no. 4 "Landscape," 1973-75 Symphony no. 5, 1982–83 Symphony no. 6 "In Memoriam," 1987 Concertos Violin Concerto No. 1, 1967 Descants, for Viola and Orchestra, 1975 Cello Concerto, 1977 Violin Concerto No. 2, 1980–82 Flute Concerto, 1981–82 Organ Concerto, 1982 Saxophone Concerto, 1982 Double Concerto for Violin, Viola and Orchestra, 1987 Chamber music Piano Quintet, 1995 String Quartet No. 1, 1952 (rev. 1978) String Quartet No. 2, 1954 (rev. 1979) String Quartet No. 3, 1959 String Quartet No. 4, 1964 String Quartet No. 5, 1973 String Quartet No. 6, 1977 Sonata for Viola and Piano, 1961 Sonata for Violin and Piano, 1962 Sonata No. 1 for Cello and Piano, 1963 Sonata for Double Bass and Piano, 1964 Sonata for Flute and Piano, 1964 Sonata No. 2 for Cello and Piano, 1965

Books Cooper, Paul. Dimensions of SIght Singing: An Anthology. New York: Longman. 1981. Cooper, Paul. Perspectives in Music Theory: An Historical-Analytical Approach. New York: Dodd Mead. 1973.