A classical violinist who was declared a prodigy at just eight years old was hand-picked by Beyoncé to perform at Jay-Z’s birthday after working alongside some of music’s biggest names.
Sally Cooper grew up in Adelaide with her parents and two sisters, but has spent much of her life performing and competing internationally.
She first tried the violin when she was seven and within a year was selected to study at the University of Adelaide to hone her skills.
Her father quit his job and took out an early superannuation package so he could afford to travel with her because she was so young.
Sally didn’t attend school like her friends, instead she juggled six hours of practical violin training a day with mandatory classes.
She was accepted into Pembroke school by Year 3, which nurtured her talent and accommodated her schedule, and by the end of Year 10 she attended the University of Adelaide to study a bachelor degree in music.
Sally Cooper, who has worked with some of Australia’s top artists, pictured at one of her performances
Sally is now juggling her performance schedule with being a new mum, and is excited to one day perform in front of her daughter, Remi
Sally Cooper grew up in Adelaide with her parents and two sisters, but has spent much of her life performing and competing internationally
‘I was really fortunate that I knew I loved violin so much that I never wanted to stop,’ Sally said.
‘I slowed down for a while when I was about 15, but I never completely quit. So many child prodigies reach that age and that’s when they burn out and give up entirely.’
Instead, Sally began experimenting and expanded from purely classical music to pop, punk and rock.
‘I learned that there’s so much more that we can do with the violin and I started really injecting that into my performances, and then my bookings started taking off.’
Beyoncé contacted Sally directly while Jay-Z was touring alongside U2 in Australia in 2011.
The A-listers were due to be in Melbourne for his birthday on December 4, and Beyoncé planned a surprise ‘Victorian’ themed party for their team.
Beyoncé contacted Sally directly while Jay-Z was touring alongside U2 in Australia in 2011. The A-listers were due to be in Melbourne for his birthday on December 4, and Beyoncé planned a surprise ‘Victorian’ themed party for their team
She’s played alongside Ed Sheeran for his first Australian performance of his hit song, Photograph, and has toured multiple times with Bruce Springsteen
Sally’s style of performing is Bridgerton-esque. The born performer puts a classical twist on conventional pop songs using her violin
Sally said the moment she first heard about the gig was the most amazing experience of her career.
‘I just couldn’t believe it was even real,’ she said.
Sally’s style of performing is Bridgerton-esque. The born performer puts a classical twist on conventional pop songs using her violin.
‘I think what I do is just very on theme for the party Beyonce wanted to throw,’ she said.
On the morning of the event, Sally was instructed to meet Beyoncé in a suite at the Crown Towers.
It was a separate room to the one she was staying in with Jay-Z to ensure he couldn’t come home unexpectedly and ruin the surprise.
Sally, pictured left, said she slowed down for a while when she was about 15, but never completely quit.’ So many child prodigies reach that age and that’s when they burn out and give up entirely,’ she said
Beyoncé opened the door wearing an olive green pantsuit and bare feet before giving Sally a tour of the quarters and introducing her to the stylists and hair and make-up teams that she’d flown over from the US.
‘She speaks with that silky smooth Beyoncé voice and was just so sweet,’ Sally said.
But the whole afternoon Beyoncé was on edge, frequently speaking with a member of her security team that was tracking her husband’s every move.
Everything was planned down to the minute, and it went off without a hitch.
After Sally was sewed into her costume and briefed about the event, she said goodbye to the star.
‘I’ll never forget her telling me I was beautiful,’ she said.
Hours later, the event kicked off and Sally stepped out onto the dining room to perform.
Sally didn’t attend school like her friends, instead she juggled six hours of practical violin training a day with theory classes
Sally said performing for Beyonce, Jay-Z and about six of their entourage – including Beyoncé’s personal assistant and Jay-Z’s brother – passed by ‘like a dream’
Jay-Z was sitting on a throne, wearing a crown and a cape that Beyoncé had organised to match the theme. She was wearing a glittering, gold ensemble which had ‘lots of drama’.
Sally said performing for the couple and about six of their entourage – including Beyoncé’s personal assistant and Jay-Z’s brother – passed by ‘like a dream’.
‘It was just surreal. I was trying to take it all in but also I was just really in the moment, so it felt like an out-of-body experience.’
The thing that stood out above all else was ‘the love between them’ throughout the night.
‘It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, watching Beyoncé and Jay-Z together. You could truly feel the love between them and it was so special to see,’ she said.
Jay-Z almost spoke in a rap and has a melody to the way he phrases his words, Sally said.
Sally admitted that in the early days of parenthood she felt ‘so consumed with being the best mother’, that she lost herself a little
‘I guess it’s just the way his brain works. He was incredible.’
After the performance, Jay-Z thanked her and praised her talent, before he left with Beyoncé in a horse and carriage.
While meeting the superstar couple is without a doubt the highlight of Sally’s career, she says there are almost too many experiences competing for second place.
She’s played alongside Ed Sheeran for his first Australian performance of his hit song, Photograph, toured multiple times with Bruce Springsteen and played alongside some of Australia’s most popular performers.
‘I think my favourite person to perform with would be Guy Sebastian,’ she said, noting the pair have been friends and performing together for almost 20 years.
‘He’s just an all round great guy, so that’s hard to compete with.’
The pair met when they were both on Dancing With The Stars. Sally had been hired to play the string section for all the performances, and has since gone on to work on other TV shows including the X Factor, Australia’s Got Talent and The Footy Show.
Remi already loves music and bops around the house and Sally looks forward to taking her along on tours when international performers come back to Australia (pictured with a mini violin in Sally’s wedding dress)
Throughout the Covid pandemic, Sally’s ability to work was restricted, but it couldn’t have come at a better time for the new mum
Throughout the Covid pandemic, Sally’s ability to work was restricted, but it couldn’t have come at a better time for the new mum.
She welcomed her daughter, Remi, in June 2020 at the height of the pandemic, and returned to work in Melbourne about two months ago.
Last week, she performed her eclectic pop-violin show at Entourage Finance’s ladies luncheon, offering the crowd of 140 women an exhilarating performance that could have come directly from an episode of Netflix’s latest period-drama, Bridgerton.
‘Performing makes me a better mother,’ she said.
‘It feels like I have a big piece of myself back that I lost when I couldn’t perform.’
Sally admitted that in the early days of parenthood, she felt ‘so consumed with being the best mother’, that she lost herself a little.
‘You’re all of a sudden responsible for this beautiful little human so of course who you are changes, but it makes me excited for the future as well.’
Remi already loves music and bops around the house and Sally looks forward to taking her along on tours when international performers come back to Australia.
‘I can’t wait to inspire her as a girl, and as a woman, and as a performer. I just want to make her proud.’
Last week, she performed her eclectic pop-violin show at Entourage Finance’s ladies luncheon, offering the crowd of 140 women an exhilarating performance
