Kurt Cowling
MYSO Jazz Studies Program Instructor Kurt Cowling has been playing the piano professionally since 1978. He was a founding member of “Streetlife,” formerly the house band of the Milwaukee Bucks. For over 20 years he was the pianist and conductor with the vocal jazz group Five By Design, where he worked with symphony orchestras (pops concerts) and big bands throughout the U.S. and Canada. He has performed with Aretha Franklin, Bobby Vinton, The Diamonds, and The Marvelettes. Kurt also has written and arranged hundreds of commercial jingles for advertisements. He has a long career in music theatre, as well, working with The Fireside, Skylight Music Theater, and The Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Kurt has a keyboard instructional book titled Gospel Piano, published by Hal Leonard. He earned a degree in instrumental music education from UW-Oshkosh.