South Bend Symphony Orchestra Appoints Jameson Cooper As Concertmaster 

The South Bend Symphony Orchestra has appointed Jameson Cooper as Concertmaster. Cooper is a founding member and first violinist of the Euclid Quartet, resident quartet at Indiana University South Bend, with whom he has won numerous national and international chamber competition prizes and performed to critical acclaim across the country. Commercial recordings of Cooper's playing with the quartet include Hugo Kauder's String Quartets 1-4, the complete quartets of Bartok, and an upcoming disc of Dvořák and Wynton Marsalis.

"I am thrilled to be joining the South Bend Symphony Orchestra as the new Concertmaster," said Cooper. "It is an honor to have the opportunity to work with such a talented group of musicians and to contribute to the orchestra's rich legacy of musical excellence."

As Concertmaster, Cooper will serve as the lead violinist and play a critical role in the orchestra's artistic direction. He will work closely with Music Director Alastair Willis and other members of the orchestra to ensure that every performance is of the highest quality.

"Jameson is a wonderful violinist," says Willis. "He's been a friend of our orchestra for many years and played with us numerous times. I am excited to begin working with him as our concertmaster - I know we will benefit from his experience and leadership."

"We are delighted to welcome Jameson to the South Bend Symphony Orchestra," said Justus Zimmerman, Executive Director of the South Bend Symphony Orchestra. "His passion, talent, and experience make him the perfect fit for this important role, and his local connections are a perfect reminder of the artistry we have here in South Bend."

Cooper won the position following a trial week during the Jack M. Champaigne Masterworks concert Kalhor + Brahms and will be back in first position for Ode to Joy, before starting his official tenure as Concertmaster with the 2023-24 Season.

About the South Bend Symphony Orchestra

Embarking on its 90th season, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra is the region's only professional orchestra and is committed to engaging the community in all it does. In addition to being recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts and other state and local arts funding organizations, the South Bend Symphony Orchestra is the recipient of the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County's 2019 Leighton Award for Nonprofit Excellence, which recognizes the best-run nonprofit organization in St. Joseph County, Indiana.

About Jameson Cooper

Multi-faceted performer and teacher Jameson Cooper was born in Sheffield, England. He rose to national attention when he was selected as Concertmaster of the National Youth Chamber Orchestra for its debut performance at the BBC Proms. After graduation from the Royal Northern College of Music, he came to the United States to continue his violin studies with Dorothy Delay, Roland, and Almita Vamos. As a founding member of the Euclid Quartet, Jameson has won numerous prestigious competition prizes and performed to high acclaim across the United States in such venues as Carnegie Hall and the Library of Congress. Jameson has also performed as a soloist in major halls in Europe and the United States, including the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. With the Euclid Quartet, Cooper is Artist in Residence at Indiana University South Bend. The quartet was awarded an American Masterpieces grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for its innovative educational programming.

Cooper's albums cover a wide range of repertoire. His debut disc of contemporary solo violin repertoire featured several works written for him. His recordings with the Euclid Quartet include the complete string quartets of Bela Bartok, works by Kauder, Dvorak, and Marsalis, and an upcoming disc of quartets by Grieg and Debussy. Recent solo discs include Prokofiev music for violin and piano, Respighi Violin Sonatas, French violin sonatas, and Violin Duos by Spohr.

Cooper's violin students have won positions in professional orchestras, prizes at All-State contests, and admittance into notable undergraduate and graduate study programs. Many are now successful teachers in their own right. He is a regular coach for the Fischoff Chamber Music Association's Academy program and has given masterclasses at colleges and universities across the United States.

As an experienced orchestral conductor, he has an extensive repertoire from baroque to contemporary music. Notable performances include Indiana University South Bend's first-ever fully staged ballet of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake and South Bend Lyric Opera's performances of Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana and Mozart's Don Giovanni.

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