Meet Helen Graham
Ms. Graham grew up with a love for music and a desire to learn. Exciting and rewarding musical experiences under her instructors Christy Estabrook, Carlotta Jacobs, Ingrid Gaston, Richard Morrissey, and Corey Kersting lead her to University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, where she earned her Bachelor’s of Music in Violin Performance.
At the University of Denver she studied with renowned violinist Linda Wang and Colorado Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Yumi Hwang-Williams and earned her Masters of Music in Suzuki Method Pedagogy covering Suzuki Violin Book 1 - Book 10. Included was a long-term study of Dr. Suzuki's philosophy of Talent Education and a full range of observation skills and techniques for teaching children.
Back in her hometown Yuba City, CA, since 2009, Ms. Graham and colleague Rebekah Hood, a Suzuki Cello teacher, have worked musical magic for their local music community. They’ve opened the North Valley Suzuki Music School, whose mission is to facilitate their students’ enjoyment of the benefits, opportunities, and joys that music lessons provide.
In 2010, they established the Veridian Symphony Orchestra, for which Ms. Graham serves as concertmaster. Ms. Graham is, also, president of the Yuba Sutter Youth Symphony Board of Directors and continues to teach and perform both violin and viola with numerous professional groups in the Greater Sacramento area.
Through her teaching, Ms. Graham works to motivate and inspire students to pursue their love of music. Her violin and viola students are the most beloved aspect of her varied career as she nurtures closed doors to open and impossibility to become reality.
Ms. Graham's excellent intonation, training and consistency makes her a natural choice to represent the selection of songs from violin book 1 in our online video play along series. Early violinists can easily follow and learn from her example.