John Cooney was born in Manchester. He read Music at Cardiff University, then studied composition at the Royal College of Music and Guildhall School of Music and Drama, with teachers including Simon Bainbridge, George Benjamin and Robert Saxton. A first encounter with the music of Magnus Lindberg during his postgraduate years made a huge impact and led to private study with Magnus in London and Paris. John was also awarded scholarships to attend courses at the Britten-Pears School, Dartington Summer School and in Stuttgart, working with Colin Matthews, Oliver Knussen, Per Nørgård and Peter Eötvös   

John’s music has been commissioned and performed by a wide array of ensembles and soloists including Simon Desbruslais, Melinda Maxwell, Lisa Nelsen, Gwenllian Llyr, Graham Caskie, BBC National Orchestra of Wales with Jac van Steen, London Sinfonietta, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Nash Ensemble, Allegri String Quartet, Delta Saxophone Quartet, Chroma, Brunel Ensemble, Psappha and the Composers Ensemble. His music has featured in the Aldeburgh, Huddersfield, Spitalfields, Bath and Vale of Glamorgan festivals and has been recorded for NMC.

John’s music first drew critical attention when he was awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society Composition Prize. Other prizes followed, including the Arts Council Dio Fund Award and the Japan International League of Artists Chamber Music Prize, as well as awards from the Leverhulme Trust, British Council and PRS. John has been Composer in Association with the Allegri String Quartet and was Composer in Residence with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra on both the Ninth and Tenth Strathclyde Concerto Projects. In 2013 he was elected an Honorary Associate of the Royal Academy of Music.

John is well known for his work in music education and is Head of Composition at both the Yehudi Menuhin School and the Royal Academy of Music Junior Department. He has considerable experience of teaching in Higher Education and has led numerous education projects throughout the UK and beyond.