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The violin maker based in Portland, ME, was 76 years old
US luthier Jonathan Cooper died on 7 September 2026, aged 76. Based in Portland, ME, Cooper made more than 500 instruments including violins, violas and cellos during his career, among them instruments for Grammy Award-winning musicians Mark O’Connor and Michael Doucet.
Cooper was raised in New York and moved to Maine for college. He was a self-taught fiddler who went on to win compeitions throughout Maine and New Hampshire.
He became curious in making instruments, which led him to study at the University of New Hampshire in 1976, followed by three years of study in Cremona, Italy, with luthier Gregg Alf.
In 2002, Cooper established the Daniel Pearl Memorial Instruments Award in memory of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, who was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan earlier that year. Presented through Mark O’Connor’s annual string camps, the award enables outstanding young string players to borrow a Cooper instrument for one year.
Cooper was artist in residence at the Acadia Festival of Traditional Music and Dance, which paid tribute to him on social media: ’Jon shared his talent and passion with hundreds of our festival participants and was a generous mentor to many students eager to study his craft.
’But beyond his incredible skills as a luthier and fiddle maker, Jon was a kind and encouraging soul who embodied the spirit of trad music and loved watching it flourish. Our camp was lucky to have him, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and many friends.
’May his instruments live on for generations, and may his memory be a blessing.’
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