Colin Cooper, editor of the UK magazine Classical Guitar, died on 25th August.
Cooper was recognised internationally as one of the world's foremost writers on the classical guitar, yet he did not begin to play the guitar until the age of 36. Tuition under various teachers culminated in his participation in Gilbert Biberian's advanced course at the Chiswick Music Centre.
From 1982 until October 2002 he was the senior and features editor of Classical Guitar magazine, and from November 2002 until May 2011 was its editorial consultant. He continued, as a contributor and reviewer, writing for Classical Guitar magazine, until the day he died. His perceptive interviews, thoughtful articles and sometimes provocative reviews over the last 30 years displayed his wide knowledge of the guitar and music in general.
Cooper was a unique figure in the music press. A professional writer since his early twenties, he was the author of five published novels, several performed plays (one of them a TV prize winner) and innumerable general articles for publications great and small. He contributed a regular column to the Tokyo magazine Gendai Guitar for 15 consecutive years, and was the first features editor of Guitar magazine, the first four issues of which were published from his house in London. His first book for guitarists, Did They Like Me?, was published by Doberman - Yppan of Montreal in 2008.
Although Cooper never performed as a solo guitarist, he played in ensemble in public performance, arranged music for the guitar and had two original compositions published. He served as a jury member in many international guitar competitions. He was also a talented photographer, and contributed very many photographs of guitarists to this and other magazines.
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