Greg-i-pedia
Greg Cooney Biographical Information. 2017
Born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1960, Greg Cooney is the youngest of eight children. His Mother was a Rockette and his father was captain of the men's glee club at Radio City Music Hall in the 1940s. Greg began performing with his twin brother Eddie in school talent shows and coffee houses at age 13. They performed in many school and community musical theatre productions. During their senior year they wrote the music for "Masquerade", a musical theatre adaptation of Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper written by John Conner. Greg and his brother performed the title rolls in the show in 1979 and again in 1980. As a young adult, Greg served on several youth ministry leadership teams for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Greg paid his way through college working in building maintenance, stripping and waxing floors, shooting public fireworks displays, writing music, playing in bands, and being a summer camp director. He became popular with college audiences as a stand up musical comedian with a 5 year old attention span which lead him to performing for children with disabilities.
Despite his own learning difficulties, Greg earned his Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Elizabethtown College in 1986 and his Masters Degree in Education with a concentration in media and technology from Salisbury State University in 1994.
As a songwriter and composer, Greg has written over 140 songs for music education, non-profit promotional campaigns, musical theatre, and television programs. Some of his songs can still be heard on RI PBS between children's programs. He has published four recordings of original children's music and is now a voting member for the Grammy Awards.
Greg has performed more than 1500 concerts in libraries and schools throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic States. He has been selected as a touring performer for Rhode Island State summer reading library programs for seven summers. He has been presenting workshops for educators on the use of humor and music in the classroom. Greg has had a successful carrier as a music and drama educator since 1986. He taught Elementary music, band and choir for two years in Minersville, PA before moving back to Maryland in 1988. While in Maryland, he taught K-12 music and theater for Talbot County Public Schools where he also established summer arts camps throughout the county for 14 years. In 1999, Greg, his wife, and two children moved to Rhode Island where he taught music and drama at Mount Saint Charles Academy. Greg also directed many musical theatre productions for the Jr. and Sr. Drama Clubs until 2014. Greg is now teaching music, part time in a private k-8 school and performing family friendly music.
As a theater professional, Greg's early performing and production experience lead him to establish his own production company, providing technical and artistic services for many concert and theater productions. He has had the privilege to work with great artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Victor Borge, The Baltimore Symphony, Lionel Hampton, and National Touring Broadway productions.
Professional Organizations:
National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (Grammy)
RIMEA
International Children's Music Network.
Awards:
1998 Talbot County, (Maryland) Arts Educator of the Year
2006 Two International Telly Awards for episodes 2 and 3 of the PBS children’s TV show “Li’l Rhody” on Rhode Island PBS. (Whooplah Productions)
2009 Independent Music Awards Nominee for Best Children's Song
2014 Companions On The Journey Award
Born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1960, Greg Cooney is the youngest of eight children. His Mother was a Rockette and his father was captain of the men's glee club at Radio City Music Hall in the 1940s. Greg began performing with his twin brother Eddie in school talent shows and coffee houses at age 13. They performed in many school and community musical theatre productions. During their senior year they wrote the music for "Masquerade", a musical theatre adaptation of Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper written by John Conner. Greg and his brother performed the title rolls in the show in 1979 and again in 1980. As a young adult, Greg served on several youth ministry leadership teams for the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Greg paid his way through college working in building maintenance, stripping and waxing floors, shooting public fireworks displays, writing music, playing in bands, and being a summer camp director. He became popular with college audiences as a stand up musical comedian with a 5 year old attention span which lead him to performing for children with disabilities.
Despite his own learning difficulties, Greg earned his Bachelors Degree in Music Education from Elizabethtown College in 1986 and his Masters Degree in Education with a concentration in media and technology from Salisbury State University in 1994.
As a songwriter and composer, Greg has written over 140 songs for music education, non-profit promotional campaigns, musical theatre, and television programs. Some of his songs can still be heard on RI PBS between children's programs. He has published four recordings of original children's music and is now a voting member for the Grammy Awards.
Greg has performed more than 1500 concerts in libraries and schools throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic States. He has been selected as a touring performer for Rhode Island State summer reading library programs for seven summers. He has been presenting workshops for educators on the use of humor and music in the classroom. Greg has had a successful carrier as a music and drama educator since 1986. He taught Elementary music, band and choir for two years in Minersville, PA before moving back to Maryland in 1988. While in Maryland, he taught K-12 music and theater for Talbot County Public Schools where he also established summer arts camps throughout the county for 14 years. In 1999, Greg, his wife, and two children moved to Rhode Island where he taught music and drama at Mount Saint Charles Academy. Greg also directed many musical theatre productions for the Jr. and Sr. Drama Clubs until 2014. Greg is now teaching music, part time in a private k-8 school and performing family friendly music.
As a theater professional, Greg's early performing and production experience lead him to establish his own production company, providing technical and artistic services for many concert and theater productions. He has had the privilege to work with great artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Victor Borge, The Baltimore Symphony, Lionel Hampton, and National Touring Broadway productions.
Professional Organizations:
National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (Grammy)
RIMEA
International Children's Music Network.
Awards:
1998 Talbot County, (Maryland) Arts Educator of the Year
2006 Two International Telly Awards for episodes 2 and 3 of the PBS children’s TV show “Li’l Rhody” on Rhode Island PBS. (Whooplah Productions)
2009 Independent Music Awards Nominee for Best Children's Song
2014 Companions On The Journey Award