Helen McGarr-Blackham

My name is Helen Blackham, age 33, and I live in Omaha, Nebraska. I began my performing career as a concerto soloist with the Salt Lake City Symphony at the age of 7 and was also a soloist with the American Fork Symphony at the age 11. In 2007 I performed with the Utah Symphony in the “Salute to Youth” program and then performed with the Utah Valley Symphony in 2008. I was a 1st chair flutist in the Utah Youth Symphony as a teenager. I have been a featured performer on the “From the Top” weekly radio show at 12 years old and also on the “From the Top” PBS television series broadcast from Carnegie Hall. In 2007 I was the first place winner of the National MNTA Senior Woodwind Competition. I was also the 2007 first place winner of the National NFMC Stillman-Kelley Competition and the Utah State Fair Music Competition(Junior division). In 2006 I was the first place winner of the National MTNA Junior Woodwind Competition and the Utah State Fair Music Competition (intermediate division). In 2005 I was the first place winner in the UMTA Concerto Competition (collegiate division) and the UFMC Stillman-Kelley Competition. I studied flute with Laurel Ann Maurer and have also studied with Robert Langevin, Jim Walker, and April Clayton. I performed in master classes with Carol Wincenc, Tara O’Connor, Brad Garner, Jeanne Baxtresser, Bonita Boyd, Katherine Keller, Susan Milan, and Joshua Smith. I completed my training for Suzuki Book 1. I am a new teacher hoping to find some wonderful students to start my teaching career with.