Famed Conductor Grant Cooper Joins Park Slope Kids Ensemble

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — Kids in an after-school orchestra and jazz ensemble in Park Slope will have a special guest for their community concert this weekend — internationally-acclaimed conductor Grant Cooper.

The Brooklyn Youth Music Project announced that the famed conductor, who leads the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra and several East Coast festivals, will join the musical youth group for a free concert on Sunday.

Organizers said the guest conductor will help kids in the orchestra and jazz ensemble learn new rehearsal techniques, musical approaches and conducting styles. Cooper will spend Friday and Saturday before the show rehearsing with the organization's Sinfonia orchestra.

The community concert will start up at 3:15 p.m. Sunday at Old First Reformed Church.

“As a facet of learning, the young musicians will grow with the influence, expertise and insight that comes from being exposed to a variety of sources," Kelly Howard, founder and artistic director at BYMP, said. "Having had the opportunity to work with Grant, as an undergraduate at Fredonia State, I know the kids will have a great time and learn a lot.”

(Harvey Wang) Previous shows with the Brooklyn Youth Music Project.

Grant was born in New Zealand and is a resident resident conductor of the Eastern Music Festival and artistic director of Fredonia's annual Bach and Beyond Festival. He is conductor emeritus of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra and has also served as resident conductor of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra.

The maestro has also conducted with Kennedy Center Orchestra, Houston Symphony, New Zealand Symphony, Auckland Philharmonia, Malaysian Philharmonic and others.

The Brooklyn Youth Music Project concert will include Felix Mendelssohn’s “Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, Carl Strommen’s “Prairiesong” and Cecile Chaminade’s “Scherzo Colombine.”

(Harvey Wang) Previous shows with the Brooklyn Youth Music Project.