| EAST TEXAS MUSIC TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION TEACHER BIOS |
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| KELLI COOPER |
Kelli Cooper, a native of Tyler, has been an Independent Piano Instructor for over 20 years. She
began teaching at the age of 16 under the supervision of her parents, Ken and Shelby Birdsong,
former teachers in Tyler. After graduating from college, Mrs. Cooper taught music at Cain
Elementary in Whitehouse, Texas for two years, and later joined the faculty at Tyler Junior College
where she taught Group and Applied Piano for ten years. Currently, Mrs. Cooper maintains a studio
of 20 private students in her home and enjoys teaching students of all ages and abilities.
In 1988, Mrs. Cooper received an Associate in Arts degree from Tyler Junior College where she
studied piano with Larry Marta. In 1991, she completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Piano at the
University of Texas at Tyler where she studied with Vicki Conway. After a year of teaching, she
continued on to the University of Oklahoma where she studied with Dr. Digby Bell, earning a Master
of Music Education degree in Piano Pedagogy. While living in Norman, Oklahoma, Mrs. Cooper had
the privilege of teaching private piano at the home of Dr. E.L. Lancaster and Gayle Kowalchyk who
write a great deal of piano repertoire, theory, notespeller and ear training books for the Alfred Music
Company. Also, she was chosen to be a Graduate assistant to Dr. Jane Magrath who has compiled
many piano literature books for Alfred such as Masterworks Classics, Encore, Masterpieces with
Flair, and Melodious Masterpieces.
Kelli Cooper is an active member of Music Teachers National Association, Texas Music
Teachers Association, East Texas Music Teachers Association and National Guild of Piano
Teachers. Mrs. Cooper enjoys adjudicating piano festivals for local associations in the East Texas
area, as well as the National Piano Guild Auditions.
Kelli and her husband Todd have two daughters, Alison and Anna, and are active members of
Marvin United Methodist Church in Tyler.
began teaching at the age of 16 under the supervision of her parents, Ken and Shelby Birdsong,
former teachers in Tyler. After graduating from college, Mrs. Cooper taught music at Cain
Elementary in Whitehouse, Texas for two years, and later joined the faculty at Tyler Junior College
where she taught Group and Applied Piano for ten years. Currently, Mrs. Cooper maintains a studio
of 20 private students in her home and enjoys teaching students of all ages and abilities.
In 1988, Mrs. Cooper received an Associate in Arts degree from Tyler Junior College where she
studied piano with Larry Marta. In 1991, she completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Piano at the
University of Texas at Tyler where she studied with Vicki Conway. After a year of teaching, she
continued on to the University of Oklahoma where she studied with Dr. Digby Bell, earning a Master
of Music Education degree in Piano Pedagogy. While living in Norman, Oklahoma, Mrs. Cooper had
the privilege of teaching private piano at the home of Dr. E.L. Lancaster and Gayle Kowalchyk who
write a great deal of piano repertoire, theory, notespeller and ear training books for the Alfred Music
Company. Also, she was chosen to be a Graduate assistant to Dr. Jane Magrath who has compiled
many piano literature books for Alfred such as Masterworks Classics, Encore, Masterpieces with
Flair, and Melodious Masterpieces.
Kelli Cooper is an active member of Music Teachers National Association, Texas Music
Teachers Association, East Texas Music Teachers Association and National Guild of Piano
Teachers. Mrs. Cooper enjoys adjudicating piano festivals for local associations in the East Texas
area, as well as the National Piano Guild Auditions.
Kelli and her husband Todd have two daughters, Alison and Anna, and are active members of
Marvin United Methodist Church in Tyler.
| 903/561-1611 kellistudio@suddenlink.net |