About me

Dr Naomi Cooper

I’m an expert in music education, choral conducting and community music.

I'm passionate about discovering the musicality within you, enabling you to express yourself confidently on your instrument or voice, and connecting you with a community that shares your love of music, so you can enjoy the lifelong benefits of participating in music.

My superpower is bringing out the musicality in each individual I work with in private lessons, mentoring and choir rehearsals through infectious energy, creativity and playfulness, underpinned by meticulously sequenced pedagogy. I take great care in understanding each of my students and tailoring lessons for each individual’s learning style, personality, interests and existing skill set so you can develop the musical skills you need to perform confidently. As every student is different, I carefully select the content, approach, structure, pace and teaching strategies that will bring out the best in you. My capacity to develop a strong rapport with each of my students fosters a love of music and learning.

I am a freelance performer, choral conductor, music educator and researcher based in Sydney's inner west. I had the privilege of growing up in a musical family and falling in love with music early in life. My mission is to share my passion for music by making musical participation accessible to as many people as I can at the highest level possible. Music changed my life for the better and I believe it can change yours, too.

I graduated from a Bachelor of Music with Distinction and First Class Honours, and was awarded a PhD in music in 2017, which focused on the teaching and learning practices in Australian community choirs. I was awarded the University Medal for academic excellence, the Dean’s Medal (top 2% of students), Marianne Rosenberg Musicology Prize, Turramurra Music Technology Prize, Lawrie Brooks Memorial Award for Performance, an academic excellence scholarship, was listed on the Dean’s Merit List and was selected for the elite Aspire Leadership Program.

I have had training in classical and contemporary voice, classical and contemporary guitar, classical and contemporary piano, and drum kit.

As a choral conductor I have extensive experience working with children’s, school, university and community choirs and am in high demand across Sydney. I currently direct Kooskõlas (a nationwide Estonian-Australian choir that performed in Estonia in 2019), Sydney Alterna Choir, Hornsby/Ku-ring-gai Parkinson's Association Choir (for people with Parkinson's disease and their loved ones), Village Voices at Uniting Leichhardt, and Angelo Singers (Monte Sant' Angelo Mercy College's chamber choir). I regularly conduct in professional venues including Sydney Opera House, City Recital Hall, Sydney Town Hall, Chatswood Concourse and St Mary’s Cathedral. In 2018 I travelled to the USA as Assistant Musical Director on Tony Backhouse’s gospel choir tour. My expertise in the choral field has been recognised through publications in books, journal articles and conference proceedings.

I hold a position as an Adjunct Research Fellow at the Creative Arts Research Institute at Griffith University where I am undertaking research on the singing voice and community choirs. My expertise in the field has been acknowledged through publications in book chapters, journal articles and conference proceedings.

I am closely connected with relevant peak professional associations, where I am continuously undertaking professional development to improve my practice. I am currently NSW & ACT President of the Australian National Choral Association, NSW Treasurer of the Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing, Vice-President of Kodály NSW and a member of the Roundtable of Instrumental, Vocal and Music Education Organisations. I have undertaken extensive training at the Sound Thinking Summer School Choral Symposium and Australian Choral Conductors’ Education and Training Summer School.

I have a valid Working With Children Check.