In the vibrant world of classical music, American-Israeli-Japanese cellist Kristina Reiko Cooper stands out not only for her electrifying performances but also for her unwavering belief in music’s profound capacity to heal, connect, and transcend. Blessed with a captivating stage presence and an effervescent personality, Cooper has built a remarkable career that seamlessly weaves together artistic excellence with a deep commitment to humanitarian causes.
Born in New York to an American father and a Japanese mother, Kristina’s early life was a tapestry of diverse cultural influences. Moving to Paris at 12, then attending a richly integrated high school in Los Angeles before returning to New York, she ultimately earned bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from The Juilliard School. This varied background, coupled with a family steeped in artistic greatness—her father, Rex Cooper, a Juilliard-trained pianist; her mother, Mutsuko Tatman, a violinist; her grandfather, Tomojiro Ikenouchi, a respected Japanese composer; and her great-grandfather, Takahama Kyoshi, a celebrated haiku poet—laid the foundation for her eclectic life today. Now a convert to Modern Orthodox Judaism, she resides in Israel with her husband, Leonard Rosen, and their three children, leading a life full of adventures and surprises.
A pivotal moment in Cooper’s life and career arrived with the discovery of Chiune Sugihara’s extraordinary heroism. This Japanese Vice-Consul, during World War II in Lithuania, defied his government’s orders to issue thousands of life-saving transit visas to Jews, including Kristina’s husband’s family. “I became obsessed with the idea of bringing forth Chiune Sugihara’s story through the only medium she could and the one she thought would best exemplify her idea of ‘Bridges of Hope’—music,” Cooper recounts. This passion led to the commission of internationally acclaimed composer Lera Auerbach’s Symphony No. 6, “Vessels of Light,” scored for cello, chorus, and orchestra.
The world premiere of “Vessels of Light” in Kaunas, Lithuania, in November 2022, was a testament to Cooper’s vision. Performing as soloist with the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra and Kaunas State Choir under the leadership of Maestro Constantine Orbelian, the concert was a featured highlight of Kaunas’s designation as the Cultural Capital of Europe. The event’s international attendance, including ambassadors from numerous countries, underscored Cooper’s desire for the work to cut across borders and serve as a universal message of hope. Since then, “Vessels of Light” has resonated with audiences worldwide, from its American premiere at Carnegie Hall to performances with the Prague Radio Orchestra, Dresden Philharmonie, and the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig. As Germany’s prestigious Süddeutsche Zeitung noted in a November 2024 review, “Auerbach adds a unique color to the solo parts—a lyrical, emotionally transcendent cello voice, brilliantly performed by New York cellist Kristina Reiko-Cooper. Her artistry illuminates the poetic and melodic expressiveness of the music.”
Cooper’s impactful collaboration with Maestro Orbelian and the New York City Opera continues to bear fruit. In February 2025, they presented “Music of Survival” at Carnegie Hall, featuring the New York premiere of Mieczysław Weinberg’s Fantasy for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 52, and Erich Korngold’s Cello Concerto in C. This project aimed to shed light on the complex fates of these ingenious 20th-century artists whose music was suppressed by the Nazis and Stalin. “As we see again in the world today, so often suppression of human expression and points of view is used as a weapon; Maestro Orbelian and Ms. Cooper hope to shine a light on this tragic phenomenon,” the concert notes explained. A recording and documentary devoted to Korngold and Weinberg are soon to be released by Delos.
Kristina will perform with Maestro Orbelian in Bryant Park
Looking ahead, Cooper’s calendar is brimming with exciting endeavors. Upcoming projects include “The Anne Frank Suite” for solo cello, narrator, and orchestra, and a delightful program of film and opera music with Maestro Orbelian and the NYCO orchestra in New York City’s Bryant Park on June 27 2025.
Beyond her dedication to bringing forth historical narratives, Ms. Cooper has turned her attention to championing music written by women. Recognizing that many important and beautiful voices have been historically marginalized, her 2025-26 season will embark on an exhilarating journey of concert and recital performances featuring inspiring works by female composers from the Romantic period to the present day. This includes Fanny Mendelssohn, the Boulanger sisters, Amy Beach, Henriette Bosman, and some of today’s greatest living women composers. These programs, which she particularly loves to bring to schools and universities, allow her to expose new audiences to this exquisite music and engage in discussions about its significance.
As a passionate advocate for new music, composers frequently seek out Cooper to commission new works. Her curiosity and enthusiasm have led her to premiere pieces by a diverse array of contemporary composers. In April 2025, she premiered a new Cello Concerto by young Israeli composer Uri Brener with the Jerusalem Symphony in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, a concert that was filmed and broadcast internationally. She will also be recording and performing two new works by Avner Dorman, including “Inner Fire,” which explores the profound connection between breath and soul across various spiritual traditions.
One of Kristina’s most cherished dreams is to commission a grand new work for solo cello, orchestra, and children’s choir, aptly titled “Bridges of Hope.” “Children embody our hope for the future. Orchestras are the quintessential models of collaboration,” she states. Joined by the soulful voice of her 1743 Ex-Havermeyer G.B. Guadagnini cello, she envisions this project as a powerful demonstration that even amidst calls for isolationism, nationalism, and tribalism, “there is so very much that draws us together and dares us to hope for a better future.”
A recipient of the Walter M. Naumburg Chamber Music Award first prize, Ms. Cooper is a prolific chamber musician and holds distinguished positions as a visiting professor at the Buchmann Mehta School at Tel Aviv University, founding musical director of The Israel Chamber Music Society, Vice-President of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation, and a board member of the Charney Forum for New Diplomacy.
Kristina Reiko Cooper is more than just a cellist; she is a conduit for understanding, a champion of untold stories, and a vibrant voice for hope. Through her music, she continues to build bridges, one resonant note at a time.
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