Mrs. Helen Graham

Raised in Yuba City, California, in the heart of the state’s central valley, Helen Graham grew up with a love for music and a desire to learn. By age nine she had begun playing the violin, and after many years of exciting and rewarding musical experiences under the instruction of her teachers Christy Estabrook, Carlotta Jacobs, Ingrid Gaston, Richard Morrissey, and Corey Kersting, Ms. Graham’s desire to pursue music led her to the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, where she earned her Bachelor’s of Music in Violin Performance in 2007.

Ms. Graham relocated to Denver, Colorado in 2007, and at the University of Denver she studied with Colorado Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Yumi Hwang-Williams and earned her Masters of Music in Suzuki Pedagogy. In June of 2009, Ms. Graham returned to her hometown of Yuba City to continue to teach and perform both violin and viola. She currently performs with numerous professional groups in the Greater Sacramento area and is also President of the Yuba Sutter Youth Symphony board of directors.

Looking to contribute to and broaden the musical community of the Yuba Sutter area, Ms. Graham and her colleague Rebekah Hood began brainstorming for the idea of the Veridian Symphony in the summer of 2010. Through generous contributors, hardworking colleagues, and many, many hours of planning, the idea became a reality in October of 2010 with the successful execution of the orchestra’s first concert. Ms. Graham not only serves as 1st violinist of the Veridian String Quartet, but is also a member of the Veridian Symphony Orchestra board of directors.

In 2009 Ms. Graham and Rebekah Hood opened the North Valley Suzuki Music School in Yuba City, offering both private lessons and group lessons. The mission of the school is to allow families of any financial means to become a part of the Suzuki family, and for their children to enjoy all of the benefits, opportunities, and joy that music provides. Through her teaching, Ms. Graham hopes to help motivate and inspire students to pursue their love of music. As Dr. Suzuki said, “Any skill can be acquired by constant repetition. This golden rule can be applied right now. Anything you think of doing, however insignificant, should be done immediately. Spur yourself on and carry it through without becoming discouraged. If this becomes an ingrained habit, things you thought impossible will become possible, and closed doors will open, as you will discover in many ways”.

Ms. Graham recently opened Graham Music Studio with her husband, pianist Jeff Graham, in 2017. Her studio of violin and viola students is the most beloved aspect of her varied career, however she also enjoys performing with dynamic orchestras in Yuba City, Grass Valley, Chico, and other neighboring cities.