If money makes the world go around, it must be music that makes that turning tolerable. Music has been called the language of the angels or, as Thomas Carlyle said, the speech of angels. That’s why so much religious artwork depicts angels playing music on harps or trumpets, and why music has found an important place in nearly all the world’s religious celebrations.
Music is therapeutic for many, able to cure ailments both mental and physical. It’s also a social catalyst. Among seniors, group music lessons have proved life enhancing in the sharing of a cherished pastime and in meeting new friends and finding enjoyment in the company of other, like-minded individuals. In children, learning to play a musical instrument has been scientifically proven to aid in brain development. Brain scans of 9- to 11 year old kids have shown dramatically more gray matter developed in those who play musical
instruments.
Cooper Brothers – Dispensers of Happiness Since 1906
Cooper Music, located in Atlanta, is one of the nation’s largest and most respected retailers of musical instruments. This fourth-generation, family-owned business was founded in 1906 in New Kensington, PA, by Jonathan Cooper. Utilizing skills learned as a carpenter in the Pennsylvania coalmines, he began building and selling pump organs and later pianos. During the Depression, when so many piano manufacturers went under as most people couldn’t afford to buy new pianos, he turned his skills to refurbishing old pianos and organs, a practice still very much in evidence today. Cooper Music is the largest piano restorer in the Southeast.
When things got slow, Jonathan could be found using his woodworking skills building boats, but music was always his first priority and now, more than 100 years later, his great-grandchildren Blake and Jolie are keeping the tradition alive.
Pianos and More
Back in the 1960s, at Cooper Music we were into everything musical including guitars, drums, keyboards, and just about anything music-related. When Blake took over, we decided to focus primarily on pianos and organs, to close down all of our mall stores, and consolidate all operations into a 10,000 square foot superstore. Numerous studios where private and group instruction are offered augment the three showrooms, a concert hall and a rental department. A new program, Music and Wellness, attracts hundreds of seniors each week and music lessons are a main focus at our facility. Our company motto remains, "Build a better world through music education."
A Word About Pianos
Steinway pianos, long the benchmark of the industry, are just one of the more than 30 name brands currently offered here at Cooper Music. Some other well-known brands include
Kohler & Campbell, Mason & Hamlin, Knabe, Baldwin, Yamaha, Suzuki and others. Grand, upright and digital pianos are all available.
While Steinway pianos are perhaps the best-known name in the business, we also carry less expensive renditions such as the Essex and the Boston. These are made with the same technology and some of the same features incorporated into Steinway pianos but are manufactured in Asia. Boston pianos are made by Kawai in their Hamamatsu, Japan factory. They are aimed toward the middle-range piano market and come in five sizes of grand and three sizes of upright.
Essex pianos, also made under designs furnished by Steinway pianos, are produced in Guangzhou, China, at the Pearl River piano facility. The Essex is an entry-range instrument, utilizing lower-cost parts and labor but still, technically, part of the Steinway pianos family.
Number One For Pianos in the Southeast
At Cooper Music, we specialize in keyboards and invite you to browse our selection. We sell new and used instruments, perform top-quality restorations, offer music lessons and will be happy to move your piano or organ to a different location. We also do piano tuning. We have access to thousands of instruments. Would you consider allowing us to help guide you in choosing the perfect instrument for your family?