Suzanne Cooper Biography

Suzanne Cooper
M.MUS (Dist.Perf.) B.A.

Suzanne’s piano lessons began with her mother and grandmother when she was five years old. At ten years of age, she began studies at Sydney Conservatorium of Music with Alexander Sverjensky. On his retirement, she continued her study with Dallas Haslem and Marjorie Hesse. Later, Suzanne won a scholarship to Sydney University where she undertook English and Music majors, studying Composition with Peter Sculthorpe. On graduating, she maintained her piano performances while working at Darwin High School and later in South Africa, diversifying her music experience researching and recording music of indigenous cultures.

In 1985, Suzanne trained with the Yamaha Music Foundation of Australia qualifying to teach their Early Childhood Piano Program. She set up her own school in the Blue Mountains. Concurrently, as a member of the NSW Gifted & Talented Children’s Association, Suzanne initiated community programs for gifted children. In 1999, Suzanne was appointed Head of Music and Co-Ordinator of Classical Stream at the McDonald College of the Performing Arts at North Strathfield. She completed an M.Mus. (Dist. Perf.) A.I.M. (2004) gaining High Distinctions for all of her piano performances. Her research led her into premiere performances of works by two eminent nineteenth century women, Fanny (Mendelssohn) Hensel and Clara (Wieck) Schumann.

In addition to featuring women composers, Suzanne’s recital repertoire encompassed a broad selection of works from the established classical piano canon. She included works by Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms, Grieg, Debussy, Rachmaninoff and more. She has performed at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre Penrith, Gosford Conservatorium of Music, St. Ives and Neutral Bay Music Societies, Strathfield Russian Club, Blackheath Uniting Church, W.S.U. Richmond campus as well as schools including St. George Girls High School, M.L.C. Burwood, Trinity Grammar Burwood, Xavier College Llandilo and Penrith Anglican College. From 2010-2016, Suzanne conducted regular Lecture Recitals in Emu Plains, Springwood and Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains.

Suzanne has presented at several music conferences including the International Symposium on Clara Schumann, (Vienna 1996); the National Women in Music, (A.N.U. 2001); the Piano Teachers’ Winter Festival, (Sydney Conservatorium 2007); the Eighth Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference, (A.N.U. 2007); the World Piano Conference (Novi Sad, Serbia, 2009, 2010, 2011). Suzanne was awarded Diplomas of Excellence for her presentations in Novi Sad and in 2013 was appointed an International Juror for the World Piano Teachers Association Piano Competition. In 2014 Suzanne was appointed as a Piano Tutor for UNSW.

Suzanne currently maintains a home-based piano studio in South Penrith. Many of Suzanne’s students have won awards and prizes and some have gone on to further their studies at leading tertiary institutions both in Australia and internationally.

Suzanne can be contacted on 0400 665 067