Promising young classical music composer Alex Cooper of Jacksonville will be a featured composer during the final week of the St. Augustine Music Festival, continuing his rise in the landscape of music composition.
The 31-year-old Cooper’s “Rhythmic Colors” will make its debut at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 28, in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, located at 38 Cathedral Place in St. Augustine.
“After being introduced to Alex’s music and with careful consideration, we decided to feature Alex’s piece, ‘Rhythmic Colors,’ at the St. Augustine Music Festival,” said Jorge A. Peña, co-founder of the St. Augustine Music Festival. “‘Rhythmic Colors’ is a longer work that fits better within the program and showcases his musical talent more effectively.”
With “Rhythmic Colors,” Cooper creates an enigmatic and atmospheric experience lending itself to expressive interpretation. It reveals an expanded tonal contemporary style, mixing both neoclassical and contemporary elements into a sound that is indicative of Cooper’s unique style.
Award-winning Los Angeles-based film and concert composer Stephen Cohn considers this to be another step forward in Cooper’s career and the future of classical music.
“Alex is an important new voice in today’s New Music,” said Cohn, who has instructed Cooper since 2023. “Alex is a distinct and charismatic musical personality with a sensitivity to the power of harmony. He really wants to reach people with his unique point of view and access to an imagination that many artists aspire to. He has a long career ahead of him and is just at the beginning of his voyage.”
Within the last 15 months, two of Cooper’s pieces have debuted in Northeast Florida: “Rhapsody for Robin,” performed by the San Marco Chamber Music Society, and “Acoustic Analog,” performed by the Florida Chamber Music Project. These performances have brought attention and widespread acclaim to Cooper’s works, with many more on the horizon.
There is no admission charge for St. Augustine Music Festival performances, which include musicians from the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and many renowned guest artists.
After its debut, “Rhythmic Colors” may be accessed late Saturday, June 28, via https://www.youtube.com/@FloridaFirstCoast. The performance will be recorded by St. Augustine videographer Jorge Rivera.
Cooper began his musical studies in 1999 at age 5 in his hometown of Rochester, Minnesota, where he took piano lessons from Dr. Horacio Nuguid. He continued his piano study at the University of Iowa School of Music under the tutelage of Dr. Ksenia Nosikova.
As a youth, Cooper placed as a finalist at the Dorian Music Festival in Decorah, Iowa, and later performed at the prestigious Schlern Music Festival in Vols am Schlern, Italy. He earned his bachelor’s degree in music with a concentration in piano from the University of Iowa in 2018.
Cooper’s focus transitioned from piano to music composition. He initially studied harmony and counterpoint independently, then began formal classes in music composition and orchestration through the Berklee College of Music.
Since 2023, Cooper has worked with Cohn, who continues to inspire and guide him in his pursuits as a composer of both classical instrumental music and contemporary electronic music.
Notable works by Cooper include, among others, “Waking Dream” for orchestra, “Permutations” for string quartet and “Rhythmic Colors” for string quintet.
Cooper’s compositions are written for a wide range of ensemble types, from solo to full orchestra. His style combines traditional and expanded tonal harmonies and structures, creating a distinctive sound that has been described as following a thematic storyline with charismatic, provocative ideas expressed in an evocative emotional musical language.
For more information, go to www.soundcloud.com/alex-cooper-110.
The St. Augustine Music Festival is the largest free classical music festival in the United States, presenting six live performances over two weeks this month at the Cathedral Basilica. The festival features musicians from the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and often includes internationally renowned guest artists. This is the festival’s 19th season.
Sponsored by the St. Johns Cultural Council, St. Johns County Tourist Development Council and the Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, the festival was founded in 2007 by Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra members Jorge A. Peña (viola) and Jin Kim-Peña (cello), who encouraged other orchestral musicians and soloists to participate in the festival.
For more information, go to www.staugustinemusicfestival.org.
