Jazz Suite - BSN/PN/KB/DRUMS

ABOUT THE COMPOSER

Kenneth Dale Cooper was Born July 30, 1931 in E. St. Louis, Illinois to William and Mayme Cooper. Ken’s musical training started with piano lessons at age four and continued through his B.S. in Music Education and M.S. in composition degrees at Pittsburg State University in Kansas. His music education career spanned 35 years—23 years in public schools (Kansas, Wyoming, and Arizona) and 12 years at Graceland College (Iowa). His college level-teaching experience included music theory and education courses as well as conducting the orchestra, jazz band, concert band, and various touring ensembles.

 In addition to writing and arranging music, Ken spent many years as a church organist and choir director. His performance activities included classical music and playing in many jazz groups. He has more than 150 published compositions for instrumental and choral ensembles. Ken’s commissioned composition, “A Star,” had its premiere performance in December 2000 by the Kansas City Symphony. He held the office of Elder in the Community of Christ church and enjoyed playing for church services. Ken faithfully read the comics each morning and completed the Word Jumble puzzle. Known for his dry sense of humor, puns easily slid off his tongue.

 Ken died June 18, 2017 at age 85 in Papillion, Nebraska after struggling 12 years with Parkinson’s Disease. His ashes were placed in Graceland Park Cemetery in Omaha, Nebraska. A tree was planted in his honor by the Arbor Society in the Chippewa National Forest (Minnesota) and a bench dedicated in his honor at Graceland University (Iowa).