Owner & Founder, Music Academy of Northwest Arkansas LLC (MANWA)

Briana Cooper’s love affair with music began at just two years old, when her mother briefly lost track of her in a Best Buy only to find her belting into a display karaoke machine, completely captivating a small crowd. By age four, a trip to the symphony sparked an obsession with the violin, which she began playing at five. She quickly realized one instrument would never be enough. Piano lessons and church solos soon followed; by age nine, she had recorded her first album and started songwriting. At ten, she picked up the guitar an instrument she still calls an extension of her own arm.

Music was so central to Bri’s life that her middle school made a rare exception, allowing her to trade P.E. for four simultaneous arts electives: choir, orchestra, theatre, and band (where she played French horn and electric guitar in the jazz band). By high school, balancing rigorous music, dance, and theatre training alongside television filming led her family to choose homeschooling. At 15, after placing second in a prestigious Nashville songwriting competition, Bri was offered a recording contract. Choosing to savor her youth and hold out for her dream of studying music in college, she turned it down and set her sights on Baylor University.

At Baylor, Bri earned a Bachelor of Music Education with a concentration in Vocal Performance and a minor in Piano. Today, she holds dual music teaching certifications in both Texas and Arkansas, backed by over 15 years of diverse educational experience.

Her career spans an incredible range of musical leadership, including:

• Public & Private School Direction: Head middle school choir director, assistant high school choir director, and general music specialist for one of Houston’s most diverse elementary schools.

• Instrumental & Community Instruction: Founded and led after-school violin programs for over 80 youth and adult students, served as an orchestra intern, and performed in numerous community theatre productions.

• Early Childhood & Private Instruction: Private school music specialist for ages 18 months through 6th grade, alongside building a thriving private piano and instrumental studio.

• Music Ministry: Currently serving as a local Music Minister, directing the adult choir, handbell ensemble, worship band, and youth musical productions.

Whether a student is a beginner picking up their very first instrument or an advanced musician looking to dive deep into technique and performance, Bri brings a lifetime of multi-instrumental artistry, professional expertise, and contagious enthusiasm to every lesson.