Cooper Minnis
Composer/Arranger
My Story
Hello. My name is Cooper Minnis and I am a composer/arranger of wind ensemble, orchestral, and chamber music. My goal as an artist is to write music which conveys meaning. Whether a memorial to a departed loved-one, or a musical depiction of uncontrolled laughter, each of my pieces is written with the intent of telling a story.
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I have been composing music since the age of twelve. As a freshman in High School, I composed the first original fight song for Clayton High School entitled Greyhound Pride, in honor of its centennial anniversary. Later, I was selected as principal tuba for the 2010-2011 season of the Saint Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra.
I graduated Magna Cum Laude from George Mason University where I earned a bachelor’s degree in music composition. In 2014, I won first place in the Webster University Young Composer's Competition for my woodwind quartet entitled "Giggles." Other accolades I have received include honorable mention in both the 2015 Claude T. Smith Band Composition Contest and 2020 American Prize, both for my wind ensemble piece entitled "The Darkest Hour," and being chosen as semi-finalist in the 2021 American Prize for my wind ensemble piece entitled "For a Lady". In 2015, I was selected to participate in the NYU/ASCAP Summer Film Scoring Workshop in New York City.
My other accomplishments include self-publishing two music books entitled "The Art of Melody, a collection of thirteen song transcriptions for brass instruments and Piano", and "Three Pieces by Anton Bruckner, a collection of choral works by Anton Bruckner transcribed for mixed brass quartets". Selections from these publications are included in the prescribed music lists for both the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA), and the University Interscholastic League (UIL). In 2022, my piece, "Overture to a Small Town" was selected for publication by Carl Fischer Music Company.
I am a proud member of the Saint Louis Brass Band and previously enjoyed teaching private low-brass lessons for over five years.