Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline

Jonathan Cooper

Guitarist, Producer, Composer, Instructor
Philadelphia,PA

Summary

Passionate musical team-player with extensive music mentoring experience as a producer, engineer, and arranger for music recording artists. Interest in developing teaching capabilities to assist any aspiring guitar students in developing advanced techniques and abilities on the instrument, as well as on the topic of Jazz and Rock harmonic concepts for writing, arranging, and transcribing music.

Overview

40
40
years of professional experience
5
5
years of post-secondary education

Work History

Guitar Performance, Rock Of Ages Musical

Cumberland Regional High School
Bridgeton, NJ
03.2023 - 03.2023

Professional performance of acoustic 12 string and electric guitar parts for guitar-heavy Rock & Roll musical featuring "A Bunch Of Really Sweet 80's Bands" utilizing nine distinct guitar sounds.

Guitar Performance, Next To Normal

Players Club Of Swarthmore, Regional Theater
Swarthmore, PA
02.2020 - 03.2023

Performed the guitar part in this complex modern musical, featuring many popular music genres.

Guitar Performance, Rent the Musical

Players Club Of Swarthmore, Regional Theater
Swarthmore, PA
12.2022 - 12.2022

Performed the complex, non-stop, multi-genre guitar part for this rock-heavy musical theater piece. Augmented written parts with transcribed arrangements. Designed 12 distinct guitar sounds via digital modeling device.

Guitar Performance - Soloist

The Philadelphia Chorus
Philadelphia, PA
12.2022 - 12.2022

Professional appearance as featured soloist with The Philadelphia Chorus, including the Light Mass composed by Vytautas Miskinis, a seven movement jazz-influenced Mass.

Guitarist

Various Regional And Community Theaters
Philadelphia, PA
04.2002 - 11.2019

Performed with pit orchestras, including occasionally full orchestra, for more than 15 theater productions. Performances included multiple productions of West Side Story and Jesus Christ Superstar, Hairspray, Children of Eden, The Who's Tommy, Billy Elliot, Elton John's Aida and more.

Producer

Derek Chafin - The Gladhouse Recording
Newtown Square, PA
05.2005 - 06.2005

Produced, recorded, and composed orchestral arrangements for the album of 12 original songs by recording artist Derek Chafin. Available to listen on Spotify and elsewhere.

Producer

Bradley Litwin, You Rascal You Recording
Newtown Square, PA
05.2002 - 06.2002

Produced and arranged horns and other instrumental accompaniment for the album by recording artist Bradley Litwin. Available to listen on Spotify and elsewhere.

Guitarist

Harmonious Wail
Madison, WI
09.1986 - 05.1990

Original guitarist performing in the award winning Jazz quartet. Wrote and arranged pieces for live performance. Co-produced album. Extensive touring. Recordings available to listen on Spotify and elsewhere.

Producer

The Darrows - Cellar Into Eaves Recording
Philadelphia, PA
03.1985 - 05.1985

Produced album for the rock band The Darrows. Subsequently featured on Strum & Thrum: The American Jangle Underground 1983 - 1987

Guitarist, Composer

The Living Daylights
Boston, MA
05.1983 - 11.1984

Guitarist in original progressive rock band. Composed and arranged pieces for live performance. Performed in rock halls and night clubs in the Boston Area.

Education

Bachelor of Arts - Music Composition

Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA
09.1980 - 05.1984

Music composition

Composition for String quartet

Advanced Harmonic Conception for Jazz

Arranging for Jazz Big Band and Studio Orchestra

Primary instrument study: Guitar, under Garrison Fewell

Sandole Jazz Guitar Study

George Famiglia
09.1978 - 05.1980

Studied the Sandole method of Jazz instrumental and harmonic concepts through George Famiglia, one of Dennis Sandole's students. This is the same method studied by John Coltrane and Pat Martino.

Skills

Jazz and Rock Guitar Performance

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Timeline

Guitar Performance, Rock Of Ages Musical - Cumberland Regional High School
03.2023 - 03.2023
Guitar Performance, Rent the Musical - Players Club Of Swarthmore, Regional Theater
12.2022 - 12.2022
Guitar Performance - Soloist - The Philadelphia Chorus
12.2022 - 12.2022
Guitar Performance, Next To Normal - Players Club Of Swarthmore, Regional Theater
02.2020 - 03.2023
Producer - Derek Chafin - The Gladhouse Recording
05.2005 - 06.2005
Producer - Bradley Litwin, You Rascal You Recording
05.2002 - 06.2002
Guitarist - Various Regional And Community Theaters
04.2002 - 11.2019
Guitarist - Harmonious Wail
09.1986 - 05.1990
Producer - The Darrows - Cellar Into Eaves Recording
03.1985 - 05.1985
Guitarist, Composer - The Living Daylights
05.1983 - 11.1984
Berklee College of Music - Bachelor of Arts, Music Composition
09.1980 - 05.1984
George Famiglia - , Sandole Jazz Guitar Study
09.1978 - 05.1980
Jonathan CooperGuitarist, Producer, Composer, Instructor