Search - Timothy Cooper :: Light on the Water

LIGHT ON THE WATER was No. 15 on the International New Age Reporter Charts in 2008! Of his music, Cooper says: I love the piano's ability to create oceanic sound a great wash of sustained sound that can seem at once infinite and intimate, with no borders or boundaries--only the presence of being... Sometimes my music has no definable beginnings, no absolute endings: only waves upon waves of sound headed as if for all shores, as in the music of dreams. TIMOTHY COOPER Timothy Cooper strives to bring enlightenment to the world through his art as well as his job as Executive Director of Worldrights, the human rights advocacy organization. His goal of calling attention to today s problems, and offering solace and solutions, is evident in his latest artistic endeavor, the new age solo piano recording Light on the Water. The album was influenced by the tragic terrorist acts of 9/11 and the subsequent healing process that the American public went through. Cooper, who lives in Washington, DC, creates thought-provoking art in several fields. In addition to being a pianist and composer, he is a novelist, photographer and film-maker. His first novel, World One, was about nuclear war with a happy ending when the entire planet finally learns to live together in peace. His second novel, 2020, deals with Jesus Christ returning to earth and running for President. This time around instead of being a religious leader he becomes a politician. It s a comedy. With his visual art, Cooper has created his Worldlights collection, photographs taken all over the world showing the globalization of culture and the exultation of commercialism. The photos are placed in large-format lightbox triptychs that emphasize light and shadow to symbolize the dramatic tension between consumerism and humanism, and the diminishing of individualism. Cooper also has long been involved with film-making and his most recent projects are three documentaries on human rights from his company Freedom's Gate Films. Beyond shining a spotlight on world problems through the use of art, Cooper also heads Worldrights, whose mission is to promote and protect human rights under principles of international law, recognizing that a violation of human rights anywhere is a violation of human rights everywhere. The organization makes appearances on behalf of political and religious prisoners, disenfranchised populations and victims of racial discrimination. Worldrights utilizes diplomacy and legal petitions, lobbies governing bodies, and uses speeches, lectures and publicity to disseminate information and build awareness. Cooper has spoken before numerous international human rights organizations including various United Nations committees. I want to help our global society any way I can to make it more peaceful and harmonious, explains Cooper, and another way to do that is to release positive and peaceful music into the world. The Light on the Water CD represents two essential ingredients of life light and water; and more philosophically it stands for my deep hope that out of the darkness can come light, out of tragedy can come renewal and rebirth. I began recording these pieces during the week following 9/11 when there was a lot of pain and tension in the air, and I could hear jet-fighter planes screaming over Washington, DC, even in the middle of the night. But after contemplating the depressing aspects of those terrorist acts, I also understood there was a positive side to the events as people bonded together with a sense of patriotism and brotherhood, spirituality increased, and society began rebuilding in many ways. I continued recording new music for the CD for several years. Light on the Water contains 19 instrumental tunes recorded as solo piano improvisational pieces without overdubs.