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David Cooper

horn

About this Artist

David Cooper is Associate Principal Horn of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Prior to his LA Phil appointment, he was Principal Horn of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra appointed by Riccardo Muti in 2019, and Principal Horn of the Dallas Symphony, a position he held from May 2013 after joining the symphony as third horn in 2011. He also served as Principal Horn of the Berlin Philharmonic from 2017 to 2018; Acting Principal Horn with the Victoria Symphony in Victoria, British Columbia, from 2006 to 2008; and Co-Associate Principal Horn of the Fort Worth Symphony from 2008 to 2011. He has been guest Principal Horn of The Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Baltimore Symphony, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and Liceu Opera in Barcelona. Cooper is an avid chamber musician and performs as a soloist all over the world. He is artist faculty at Roosevelt University and has given master classes in America, Asia, Europe, and Australia. Coming from a horn-playing family—both his uncle and grandmother were professional horn players in the Lansing (MI) Symphony— he began his horn studies with Dale Bartlett in Lansing. While still in high school, Cooper began performing with the Michigan State University orchestra and went on to attend the Curtis Institute of Music, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in music. While at Curtis, Cooper received a Tanglewood Fellowship, and beginning in 2011, he spent three consecutive summers at Marlboro Music Festival in Vermont. He studied with Jerome Ashby while at the Curtis Institute; Eric Ruske was his main teacher after he left Curtis. In his free time, Cooper enjoys being a father in addition to Pilates and swimming. He loves animals and being outdoors.