Faculty Information

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Bill Kopper

Lecturer
  • Music and Entertainment Studies (CAM)

Bill Kopper is a Boulder, Colorado based guitarist known for his expertise in American Jazz and Blues, and Brazilian Samba, Bossa Nova, and Choro. Adept on electric, classical and seven-string classical guitar, he is featured on a diverse selection of recordings, from his own CDs, Samba de Chueca, El Oeste, Muzungu, and Ancient Rhythms; to Vocalist and MaxJazz recording artist Rene Marie's Black Lace, Freudian Slip; Trumpeter and Origin recording artist Brad Goode's Chicago Red and Polytonal Dance Party; Pianist and Ropeadope recording artist Carmen Sandim's release Playdoh; among many others. His work is also featured in the soundtracks of the 2012 environmental documentary A Fierce Green Fire (Robert Redford, Ashley Judd, Meryl Streep) and the 2022 Steph Smith film, Give Light.

He is currently an instructor of guitar at the University of Colorado Denver where he has taught for the last 11 years, and divides his time musically among the Samba/Pagode group Ginga, the Brazilian Choro/Forro group The Dexter Payne Quintet, the Brazilian Jazz Group Coraçao, Sao Paulo, Brazil native and vocalist Gui Kroneberger’s group, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil native Michele Castro’s group, Allicante, Spain-based vocalist Sonya Vallet’s group Los Profugos Galacticos, and his own group, The Bill Kopper Group. In the spring of 2023, he completed his fourth recording as leader and first recording as an Octave Records recording artist, to be released in the summer of 2023.


Areas of Expertise

Jazz
World

Education, Licensure & Certifications

University of Colorado, Boulder
BA; Music

Awards

2021: Octave Records recording artist
2019: Pathways to Jazz grant award
2014: Four-Star Review, Downbeat Magazine - Dexter Payne, Pra Voce, performed acoustic six- and seven-string guitars
2013: Four-Star Review, Downbeat Magazine - Brad Goode, Chicago Red, (Origin) performed electric guitar and electric sitar
2013: 35th Annual Best of Jazz Station Poll Award for Electric Guitar Performance on Chicago Red
2011: NPR A Blog Supreme, Best of 2011 - Rene Marie, Black Lace, Freudian Slip (Motema), performed acoustic guitar
2010: Westword Best Theatre Production - Rene Marie, Slut Energy Theory, performed acoustic guitar

College of Arts & Media

CU Denver

Arts Building

1150 10th Street

Suite 177

Denver, CO 80204


303-315-7400

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