Jonathan Cooper: key obituary facts
Is Jonathan Cooper dead? Yes. Jonathan Cooper died on September 7, 2026, at age 76.
Cause of death: Jonathan Cooper's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Jonathan Cooper known for?
Jonathan Cooper was a Luthier.
More about Jonathan Cooper
Born: May 17, 1950.
Occupation: Luthier.
Jonathan Cooper, an American luthier who built and crafted more than 500 violins, died on September 7, 2026, at age 76.
Born Jonathan Gelula Cooper on May 17, 1950, in Boston, Massachusetts, he taught himself guitar, played in bands in New Jersey, and later attended an experimental program at Nasson College before moving to Franconia, New Hampshire, in 1971. He also studied at a summer course at the University of New Hampshire in 1976 and spent three years learning with Gregg Alf in Cremona.
Cooper’s violins drew admiration from fiddle players including Mark O’Connor, Alison Krauss and Michael Doucet, and he owned Acoustic Artisans, a shop in Portland, Oregon.