Andrew Leslie Cooper

British-American conductor, teacher, singer, pianist, and organist based in Connecticut, USA. Director of Music at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, Wilton.

I am now in my second season in my new appointment at St. Matthew’s, Wilton. There, I am the director of its choirs, parish organist, and curator of the concert series, The Arts at St. Matthew’s. I am passionate about my work there: teaching young people and working with amateur singers. This community cherishes its rich musical heritage, and I am privileged to serve there.

Prior to relocating to Connecticut, I had been based in the UK, where I was a freelance countertenor and music teacher. I was the second countertenor in The Gesualdo Six, with whom I performed dozens of concerts, recorded three albums under contract with Hyperion, produced hours of online content, and sang on live BBC broadcasts. I was also in the Choir of His Majesty’s Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace, a 500-year-old institution that still offers weekly choral services, concerts, and CD recordings. Other singing engagements in the past have included Tenebrae, TENET, the Bach Choir of Holy Trinity NYC, Gallicantus, Ensemble Odhecaton, BWV: Cleveland’s Bach Ensemble, Philadelphia Symphonic Choir, Spoleto Festival Chorus, the Voces8 Foundation Choir, Academy of Sacred Drama, Ensemble Altera, and others. 

During the pandemic, I produced virtual performances of some of my favorite pieces of music. These videos, including Pearsall’s Lay a garland and Purcell’s Sound the trumpet, gathered hundreds of thousands of views and cultivated a sizeable following on social media. My multitracking efforts culminated with Tallis’ Virtual Voice: a project sponsored and conceived by the Thomas Tallis Society in which I recorded all 40 parts of Spem in alium, the Renaissance masterpiece by Thomas Tallis.

Music education and amateur music making are perhaps my greatest passions. While I was a student, I led amateur choirs as music director at the United Methodist Church of Berea (Ohio) and later Grace Presbyterian Church, Jenkintown (Pennsylvania). In the UK, I was the assistant conductor for Cranbrook Choral Society and led numerous choral workshops with adults and children. In addition, I taught music at two schools near London: The Frances Bardsley Academy for Girls and King’s School Rochester—the world’s second oldest school.

As a keyboardist, I am in demand as a choral accompanist, collaborative pianist, continuo player, and church organist. In the past, I have been a Music Director and pianist for professional theatrical venues such as Vermont’s Weston Playhouse and Cleveland’s Playhouse Square.

I earned my Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Westminster Choir College (Princeton, New Jersey), where I was the Graduate Assistant Conductor for the flagship ensemble Westminster Choir. I am also a proud alumnus of Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music (Berea, Ohio), where I earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Theory, with a Conducting Emphasis.

I live in East Norwalk with my two adorable cats Archie and Maxie. When I’m not making music, you might find me in the middle of my latest arts & crafts project or trying to get better at running. Read more about me and listen to samples of my performances at www.AndrewLeslieCooper.com.