Ian Cooper (violinist)

Ian Cooper (born 14 August 1970) is an Australian violinist. He was commissioned to compose and perform the "Tin Symphony" for the opening ceremony of the Games of the XXVII Olympiad in Sydney. The event was televised worldwide with an estimated 2.85 billion viewers. He performs many musical styles including Classical, Gypsy, Jazz, Irish & Country music and has appeared with Tommy Emmanuel, James Morrison, Olivia Newton-John, Barry White, Simon Tedeschi, Deni Hines, and Silverchair.

Cooper began learning the violin at age 4 from his mother Jan Cooper, a Suzuki Violin teacher. He performed the Seitz Violin Concerto No. 2 Allegro Moderato at age 6 on the Seven Network's 11AM program with Roger Climpson. At age 7, Cooper performed concerts in the USA and Canada, representing Australia at the Suzuki Violin World Conference. At age 8, he was awarded a scholarship to the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music in Sydney where he studied with Christopher Kimber, Harry Curby, and Laslo Kiss. He was subsequently awarded a music scholarship to Knox Grammar School where he also studied drums and percussion. At age 10, a performance in Japan was broadcast on NHK Television.

In 1990, Cooper was mentored by the French Jazz Violinist Stéphane Grappelli. After performing with the guitarist Tommy Emmanuel at his invitation at the Sydney Opera House in 1992, Cooper joined Emmanuel on tour until 1997. Cooper has also been a member of trumpeter James Morrison's sextet since 2007.

Cooper's main violin was made by E.H. Roth in Markneukirchen, Germany in 1926 and is modelled on an Antonio Stradivari 1714 Cremona instrument. His electric violins are Epoch, Guscott and E.F. Keebler.

• 1993 – Soundpost – with Ike Isaacs, Peter Inglis & Tim Rollinson
• 1994 – Strings of Swing – with Don Burrows, Tom Baker & Ian Date
• 1994 – Royal Flush – with Bernard Berkhout and Ian Date
• 1994 – Right Here and Now – Marcia Hines
• 1994 – Coma – Max Sharam
• 1994 – Box – Chocolate Starfish
• 1995 – Ian's World – with Tom Baker, Ian Date, Bernard Berkhout & John Morrison
• 1995 – Wide Open – The Backsliders
• 1995 – Jewels & Bullets CD Single – Tim Rogers & You Am I
• 1995 – 25th Breda Jazz Festival Official CD with Fapy Lafertin & Ian Date
• 1995 – A Million Year Girl – Max Sharam
• 1996 – Seventh Wave – Annie Crummer
• 1996 – Freak Show – Silverchair
• 1996 – At Home – with David Paquette
• 1997 – Hard Axe to Follow – with Tommy Emmanuel, Tommy Tycho, George Golla & Ian Date
• 1997 – Love Walked In – The Earthmen
• 1997 – Swingin' Upstairs – John Morrison
• 1999 – Poverty Deluxe – The Backsliders
• 2000 – The Games of the XXVII Olympiad 2000: Music from the Opening Ceremony CD & DVD
• 2002 – Big Band – with James Morrison
• 2002 – Chasing My Tail – Geoff Achison
• 2005 – I Remember When I Was Young: Songs from the Great Australian Songbook – John Farnham
• 2007 – Simon Tedeschi & Ian Cooper – with Simon Tedeschi
• 2007 – The Other Woman – Deni Hines & James Morrison
• 2008 – Be Yourself – Melinda Schneider
• 2008 – A Celebration in Song – Olivia Newton-John
• 2008 – The Other Woman – Live DVD – Deni Hines & James Morrison
• 2008 – Hits & Rarities – Melinda Schneider
• 2009 – Straight to the Pool Room – The Smokin' Crawdads
• 2009 – Ballads and Bossa Nova with James Morrison, Emma Pask, Jim Pennell, Steve Brien, Paul Cutlan & Phil Stack
• 2009 – Quintet with Simon Tedeschi & James Morrison
• 2010 – Feels Like Spring – James Morrison & The Idea of North
• 2010 – Purity of Essence – Hoodoo Gurus
• 2011 – Life Begins at 40 – Melinda Schneider
• 2012 – This Christmas – The Idea of North
• 2015 – Just Passing Through – with Tommy Emmanuel and Ian Date
• 2015 – Cosita Divina – Emma Pask
• 2016 - "Melinda Does Doris Again" - Melinda Schneider

• 1999 – MO Award – Variety Instrumental Performer of the year
• 1999 – ACE Award – Instrumental Act of the year
• 2000 – MO Award – Variety Instrumental Performer of the year
• 2000 – ACE Award – Instrumentalist of the year
• 2005 – Golden Fiddle Award – Best CD by a fiddler as soloist
• 2006 – Golden Fiddle Award – Best fiddler soloist
• 2006 – Golden Fiddle Award – Best CD by a fiddler as soloist, for "Ian Cooper – Big Band"
• 2014 – Golden Fiddle Award – Best fiddler as a soloist
• 2014 – Golden Fiddle Award – Best Band for Ian Cooper's International Spectacular
• 2016 – ACE Award – Instrumental Performer