About Cooper

Cooper Ottum (b. 1990) is a composer from Beaverton, Oregon.

Captured by music as a young student, Cooper began composing to understand the practice, aesthetic, and perspective of different musicians that were (and continue to be) his teachers, colleagues, and friends. Through his own compositional practice, Cooper strives to capture emotional subtlety, and to approach music as a distinctly human art form.

Cooper received a Master of Music Degree in Composition from the University of Missouri - Kansas City in 2015, and a Bachelor of Music degree in Composition from University of Southern Californiain 2012. Principal instructors include: Chen Yi, Mara Gibson, Paul Rudy, Zhou Long, James Mobberley, Donald Crockett, Frank Ticheli, and Stephen Hartke. At USC, Cooper was honored with the Composition Department Award (2012) and with the Peter David Faith Endowed Award in Composition (2012).

Cooper's concert music has been performed throughout United States and his music for motion picture has been heard accompanying short films at various festivals. In addition, his work for marching band has been heard throughout Oregon and Washington, performed for competition in the Northwest Marching Band Circuit.

Cooper has worked with Hillsboro Parks and Recreation, the Century High School Marching Band, and the Liberty High School Marching Band to make compositions and arrangements that enrich youth music education programs. His work for marching ensembles is available for viewing at Music for Use.

In fall 2014, Cooper launched the pilot season of the Music for Use Project, an effort to create new commissioning relationships between collegiate student composers and youth music ensembles.