Imogen Cooper facts for kids
Dame Imogen Cooper is a famous English pianist, born on August 28, 1949. She is known around the world for her amazing piano playing and has performed many concerts and made many recordings.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Imogen Cooper was born in North London in 1949. Her father, Martin Cooper, loved music, and her mother, Mary Stewart, was an artist. Imogen grew up in a family full of music. Her parents noticed she had a special talent for music.
When she was 12, her parents sent her to Paris, France. She studied music for six years at a famous school called the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique. This was a big decision at the time. Some people thought it was too early for a child to specialize in music and study in another country.
Becoming a Professional Pianist
In 1967, when Imogen was 17, she earned a top award from the Paris Conservatoire. This was a major achievement. She was then guided by famous pianists like Arthur Rubinstein and Clifford Curzon. Later, she studied in Vienna with Alfred Brendel, Paul Badura-Skoda, and Jörg Demus. Her time studying with Alfred Brendel especially helped shape her career.
Even though she spent her teenage years in Paris, London has been her main home. She is especially known for playing the music of composers like Schubert and Schumann. She has also played new music, including the first performances of pieces by modern composers like Thomas Adès. Besides playing as a solo artist, she also performs with other musicians in chamber music groups and sings with baritone Wolfgang Holzmair.
Awards and Recognition
Imogen Cooper has received many important awards for her contributions to music. She was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2007. Later, in 2021, she was honored as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE). These are high honors given by the British monarch. In 2019, she was also given the Queen's Medal for Music.
Recordings
Imogen Cooper has recorded many albums, sharing her music with people all over the world. Here are some of her recordings:
- Robert and Clara Schumann Lieder: with Wolfgang Holzmair (2002)
- Eichendorff Lieder: with Wolfgang Holzmair (2002)
- Mozart: Piano concertos 23 and 9 (2006)
- Wolf Songs (2009)
- Mozart: Piano concertos 22 and 18 (2010)
- Schubert: Song Cycles with Wolfgang Holzmair (2012)
- Schumann: Davidsbündlertänze, etc. (2015)
- Imogen Cooper's Chopin (2016)
- Liszt and Wagner (2017)
- Beethoven: Diabelli Variations (2018)
- Iberia y Francia (2019)
- Le Temps Perdu (2021)
Honours and Awards
Imogen Cooper has received many special honors and awards throughout her career. These awards recognize her amazing talent and her contributions to classical music.
- 1969: The London Mozart Players' Mozart Memorial Prize
- 1997: Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music
- 1999: Honorary Doctor of Music at Exeter University
- 2007: Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her services to music
- 2008: Royal Philharmonic Society Music Award
- 2008: Mentor for the RPS Philip Langridge mentoring scheme
- 2012–13: Visiting Professor in Classical Music and Music Education at the University of Oxford
- 2019: The Queen's Medal for Music
- 2021: Appointed to chair the Leeds International Piano Competition jury
- 2021: Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for her services to music
See also
In Spanish: Imogen Cooper para niños
