Iain Cooper was born in Bristol and began his musical education as a chorister first at St. Mary Redcliffe and later at the Cathedral. He studied the organ with the late Clifford Harker at Bristol Cathedral and with Walter Hillsman at Oxford and the piano with Norman Jones in Bristol and with Robert Ferguson in Cambridge. He read Music at Keble College, Oxford where he was accompanist to the Chapel Choir and directed the Arcadian Singers, a select undergraduate chamber choir, and the Cumnor Choral Society. He also holds the degree of M.Litt of Bristol University for his thesis on the composer Gerald Finzi.

Iain began his teaching career in Salisbury and then moved to Peterborough to become Director of Music at the King’s School, the Cathedral’s choir school. He spent 1988 to 2001 in Cambridge, most of them as Director of Music at the Perse School. He also directed the Walmisley Singers of Cambridge and the Cambridge Youth Orchestra.

Iain began conducting Bridgwater Choral Society in 2004. He brings a wealth of experience both as a musician (piano and organ) and teacher of music. He currently works freelance as a teacher, examiner and writer. The Society has blossomed under his leadership and achieved an extremely high standard of performance, culminating in the recent performance of Mendelssohn’s Elijah, which met with wide critical acclaim.