Helen Vassiliou

New York City based violinist Helenmarie Vassiliou joined the New Jersey Symphony in fall 2023. From Philadelphia, she began studying violin at the age of 3 and was brought up musically through community music schools. As such, Helenmarie believes that making music is first and foremost a community activity, and thus spends much of her time making music with as many people as she can. She has been a fellow at the Aspen Music Festival, National Repertory Orchestra, Spoleto Festival USA, and has been a three time fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center, where she also served as concertmaster under Herbert Blomstedt and principal second under Andris Nelsons.

She holds positions with the Colorado Music Festival, Allentown Symphony Orchestra, Symphony in C, and Baltimore-based string orchestra Mt. Vernon Virtuosi. She has also appeared with Artosphere Festival Orchestra, Princeton Symphony, Hamptons Music Festival, New World Symphony, and plays regularly with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

A passionate teacher, she believes that music is for anyone who wants to learn, regardless of age or experience. Helenmarie held the Morse Teaching Fellowship from Juilliard teaching at City College Academy of the Arts in New York City, where she taught violin, viola, and cello to middle and high school students. Currently she is on faculty at Brooklyn Music School and leads outreach classes in the greater NYC area.

Helenmarie is a recent graduate of the Juilliard School, where she received both her master’s and bachelor’s degrees, studying with Masao Kawasaki. Other mentors include Sheryl Staples and Hirono Oka.