Sylvia N. Cooper received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from James Madison University, where she was enrolled in the Music Honors program, and the only piano major to present a full honors recital. She received her Master of Divinity with a Church Music Concentration in 2003 from Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond. Sylvia is an ordained minister and serves as Minister of Music and Arts Ministries at Shady Grove United Methodist Church in Glen Allen, Virginia, where she supervises an extensive graduated program of over 12 choirs and ensembles. Sylvia also serves on the Board of Directors at the Center for Creative Arts, which serves over 260 students in the church and community.

Sylvia has served as accompanist for the past fifteen years for the annual Youth Choir Jam state event, as well as adult choir accompanist for the Methodist Southeastern Jurisdiction’s Music and Worship conference, both sponsored by The Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts.   A Master’s level pianist, Sylvia has taught private piano for over 35 years. She is a member of The National Guild of Piano Teachers and the American College of Musicians; many of Sylvia’s students participate in the national piano guild competition each May, and several students have gone on to continue their piano studies at the university level.   

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