Female Composers in the Spotlight - an interview with Dr. Cora Cooper

In this episode of the Violin Geek Podcast, Laurel Thomsen chats with Dr. Cora Cooper, professor of violin, viola, chamber music, and string pedogogy at Kansas State University, and the editor of "Violin Music By Women" and "Viola Music By Women," graded anthologies of almost entirely unknown, but wonderfully inventive and enjoyable pieces by women composers. We discuss Dr. Cooper's inspiration for the project and she shares some delightful stories about her search for material and the process of compiling the volumes. We gain tips for presenting and integrating new music into the teaching studio, and insight into her approach towards helping students identify technical challenges and practice more effectively when there's less time.

Links:

Violin Music By Women website and blog, including sound files for the volumes: https://www.violinmusicbywomen.com

Purchase the anthologies plus much more at Sleepy Puppy Press: https://www.sleepypuppypress.com

Tips for integrating the first book of the violin anthology into a Suzuki method approach: https://www.violinmusicbywomen.com/blog/guest-blog-by-claire-allen-integrating-repertoire-from-violin-music-by-women-with-suzuki-books-1-2-part-1-of-3

Mary Cohen's "Violin Technique in Practice" book: https://www.fabermusic.com/news/mastering-violin-technique-with-mary-cohen05062020-1

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For more about host Laurel Thomsen, including her performance, teaching, and recordings, please visit https://www.laurelthomsen.com

To check out Laurel's companion labor-of-love, the Violin Geek Blog, visit: https://www.laurelthomsen.com/violin-geek-blog

If you have a violin, viola, fiddle, music biz, or practice related question or topic you’d like to have covered on the Violin Geek podcast or in the blog, have someone you'd like Laurel to interview, or have a story or insight to share, please send Laurel an email at laurel@laurelthomsen.com. You're also welcome to post your success story, comments, or suggestions to https://www.facebook.com/laurelthomsenmusic. Also, please reach out via email if you’d like to inquire about violin, viola, or fiddle coaching or lessons with Laurel via Skype, FaceTime, or Zoom.

Happy Practicing!

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