Stephen Z. Cook is the Chorus Director/Principal Accompanist in the Vocal Music department at the Governor’s School for the Arts, a secondary school for gifted high school students located in Norfolk, Virginia.

He holds the Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, the Master of Music degree in organ performance and church music from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in organ performance and pedagogy from the University of Iowa in Iowa City.

As an active concert organist, he has performed throughout the United States as well as in Paris, France. And as an active member in the American Guild of Organists, he is a Colleague, past Dean, and contributing author on the subject of improvisation in the guild’s magazine, "The American Organist."

dr. stephen z. cook, organist
stephen z. cook, organ

Stephen Z. Cook presents a panorama of organ favorites to demonstrate his facile technique, solid musicianship, and this instrument's ability to convincingly play many styles from the literature . . . J.S. Bach is represented by a virile performance of his ubiquitous "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor," BWV 565 . . .Dr. Cook's Variations on "Nun danket alle Gott" and March on "Bradbury" are creative, fresh, well-conceived new interpretations of these familiar tunes.  The American Organist

Distinguished organist Stephen Z. Cook has recorded a disc for the Towerhill label on the recently installed [2006] John-Paul Buzard organ [in Williamsburg]. The good folks there can take pride at having such a splendid instrument . . . Cook even contributes his own quirky and fun-filled "March on BRADBURY." In all, a most enjoyable hour with the King of Instruments.
The Daily Press, Newport News, Virginia