Belleville West H.S., Orchard Farm H.S., Althoff Catholic
H.S., Jefferson City H.S., Hillsboro H.S. & M.S., DeSoto H.S., and Central
Visual and Performing Arts H.S.
Chris Cooper currently serves as the Percussion Coordinator,
Percussion Specialist, Jazz Specialist and/or Battery Tech of the following
schools:
Belleville West H.S. in Belleville, Illinois
Orchard Farm H.S. in St. Charles, Missouri,
Althoff Catholic H.S. in Belleville, Illinois
Jefferson City H.S. in Jefferson City, Missouri
Hillsboro H.S. & M.S. in Hillsboro, Missouri
DeSoto H.S. in DeSoto, Missouri
Central Visual and Performing Arts H.S. in St. Louis,
Missouri
At the age of 12, Chris “Coop” Cooper displayed skills in
arranging and composing music. When he was 15 years old, the Music Minister at
his church hand-selected him to lead a drumming ministry for beginners. Then at
18 years old, Chris leapt into teaching marching percussion.
Chris's drum corps performance experience marching spans six
successful years. From 1995 to 1998, he marched with the Quiet Storm Drum and
Bugle Corps. In 1999 he marched with the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps before
he aged out in the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps in 2000. These ensembles
allowed him the great privilege of studying under great percussion arrangers
and instructors, including Thom Hannum, Colin McNutt, Brian Tinkel, and Dan
Delong. After a season of age-out
withdrawal, Dan Delong added Mr. Cooper to the percussion instructional team for
the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps for the 2002 and 2003 seasons.
In the indoor percussion idiom, Chris has been a staff
member for several additional scholastic lines, including Parkway West, Francis
Howell North, and Rockwood Summit. On the Independent Percussion side, Coop has
been on staff with Gateway Indoor, WGI’s 2009 Bronze Medalist Voyager Intrepid
Percussion, and WGI’s 2017 Bronze Medalists Freedom Percussion. He continues to
be on staff for Freedom Percussion.
Mr. Cooper attended the University of Missouri-St. Louis
where he studied under Matt Henry. Coop is active on drum set and electric bass
with other jazz, fusion, R & B, rock, Christian/gospel, Latin, and country
groups.
Since 2011, Coop has been an active performing member of the
amazing, high-energy percussion performance group, StikYard (www.stikyard.com).
Through a combination of the Missouri and Illinois school districts,
independent ensembles, clinics and private percussion lessons, Chris instructs
more than 250 students each year.
Chris Cooper proudly endorses Mapex/Majestic Percussion and
Innovative Percussion Inc.