Pianist Christopher Cooley has concertized with various instrumental and vocal soloists in five continents, as well as Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Hall. As a soloist, he has played with the University of Texas Symphony, the Chamber Orchestra of Florida, and the Musica Bella Orchestra of New York. As a collaborative pianist, he has served on the staff of numerous summer opera festivals in Italy, Germany, and Austria, as well as the Castleton Festival in Virginia, the Piatigorsky Seminar for Cellists in L.A., and the Varna International Music Festival. Dr. Cooley has collaborated regularly with soprano Lauren Flanigan on music written for her by composers from Stephen Schwartz to Thomas Pasatieri. They have performed together at numerous venues including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the McCarter Theater in Princeton, the Shakespeare Theater Company Gala in Washington D.C., and the George London Foundation Recital Series at the Morgan Library (NYC). Chris holds degrees from Florida State University, the University of Texas at Austin, and a doctorate in Collaborative Piano from the Manhattan School of Music.
Gigi Mann Photography
Dr. Cooley has enjoyed a wide variety of musical activities as a freelance accompanist, organist, cocktail pianist, arranger, and composer in and around New York City for over 25 years. Recent projects include a recital of the songs of Ricky Ian Gordon with Opera Noire; a workshop of Sheila Silver’s new opera "A Thousand Splendid Suns”; a summer tour of Europe including work as pianist and composer at festivals in Italy; a Broadway-themed dinner cruise for Hornblower Cruises, for which he arranged the music; and the Paper Mill Playhouse (NJ) New Voices Concerts, a summer musical theater program for which he has served as pianist and arranger for 15 years. He spent five years as music director of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in White Plains, where the choir premiered several of his compositions and arrangements. Currently he is organist at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Bedford, NY.
Dr. Cooley spent one year working as a vocal coach and pianist at the Klaipeda State Music Theatre in Klaipeda, Lithuania, where he performed in productions of Nunsense (in Lithuanian) and Donizetti's La fille du régiment, for which he also coached the French language. While in Lithuania he also played for Karta Amerikoj, a unique retro-American swing trio, and contributed lyrics to many of their original songs. Dr. Cooley has served as a staff vocal coach, accompanist, and adjunct instructor at New York University and Brooklyn College. He recently returned from Columbia SC, where he was a music director and recitalist at the Varna International Music Festival.
Dr. Cooley spent one year working as a vocal coach and pianist at the Klaipeda State Music Theatre in Klaipeda, Lithuania, where he performed in productions of Nunsense (in Lithuanian) and Donizetti's La fille du régiment, for which he also coached the French language. While in Lithuania he also played for Karta Amerikoj, a unique retro-American swing trio, and contributed lyrics to many of their original songs. Dr. Cooley has served as a staff vocal coach, accompanist, and adjunct instructor at New York University and Brooklyn College. He recently returned from Columbia SC, where he was a music director and recitalist at the Varna International Music Festival.
"Ondine" from Gaspard de la nuit, by Ravel. Recorded live at the Liederkranz Ballroom in NYC, June 2015.
Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, 3rd movement. Recorded live in NYC, February 2008.
"Los Requiebros" from Goyescas, by Granados. Recorded live at Florida State University, June 2010
