John Cooper's musical journey began in 2004 when he started playing the violin, a path he would later diverge from in favor of the viola around four years later. During this period, his musical inclinations led him to devote considerable time to studying electric guitar for many years.
In 2008, John's life took a significant turn when he became a student of Elizabeth Wood of the Atlanta Opera, an experience that kindled his passion for classical music. This marked the beginning of a remarkable career, as John would go on to hold principal and co-principal positions in numerous orchestras and ensembles, including the GMEA All-State and Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestras during his senior year in high school, the Brevard Music Center Symphonia, the Georgia Philharmonic Orchestra, the UGA Symphony Orchestra, and most recently, the Athens Symphony Orchestra.
Presently, John is a student of Maggie Snyder at the University of Georgia, working towards a degree in Viola Performance. However, John's musical talents extend beyond classical music, as he is a multi-instrumentalist who lends his skills to various groups in Athens, both on stage and in the studio, on instruments such as guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, keyboards, cello, and voice.
