Office: FAB 250 | Phone: (308) 865-8611 | Email: cookj@unk.edu
Nebraska’s internationally recognized pianist, James Cook has performed in cities that include Berlin, Budapest, Chicago, Houston, Kansas City, Leipzig, Madrid, Mexico City, Minsk, Montreal, Munich, Quebec City, Rostock, St. Louis, San Antonio, Seville, Stockholm, Vienna and Warsaw. Included were performances at the Frederic Chopin Academy of Music, Hochschule für Musik Hans Eisler in Berlin, Budapest Concert Orchestra, Ludwig Maximilian University-Munich, University of Madrid, and others. A performance of Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto with the Budapest Concert Orchestra was described as “…sensitive style, singing touching of the piano keys, grandiose forming of melodies and the authentic way of his interpreting....was rated highly among the musical experts and the audience." A specialist of the music of Frederic Chopin, Cook’s repertoire includes over thirty of Chopin’s piano works. Other repertoire includes fourteen piano concertos and numerous works of W.A. Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Franz Liszt, Sergei Rachmaninov, Sergei Prokofiev.
James Cook received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the UMKC Conservatory of Music where he studied with Professor Joanne Baker. He completed his doctoral studies at the University of Texas at Austin with Dr. William Race. Dr. Cook’s piano students at UNK were among Nebraska’s most successful college pianists, several having received graduate teaching assistantships and graduate degrees at the University of Michigan, Baylor University, University of Nevada and other universities. He has presented numerous recitals at UNK and past performances at the Museum of Nebraska Art, UNK Family Day, UNK Wind Ensemble, Kearney High School Camerata Orchestra and Nebraska communities. Cook is a recipient of the University of Nebraska Outstanding Research and Creativity Award.
