Helen Armstrong (violinist)
Encyclopedia
Helen Armstrong was the founder and artistic director
of Armstrong Chamber Concerts Inc (ACC), a non-profit, chamber music
organization she founded in 1984. The creation and development of ACC was inspired by Avery Fisher
and Skitch Henderson
, who advised Ms. Armstrong that her new artistic mission should be to broaden public interest and knowledge of chamber music through performance and education. The heart of this mission has been to bring musical education to public and private schools through its unique Students’ Music Enrichment Program. More than 100,000 students have participated in this program in Litchfield and Fairfield counties, and in Harlem
and the Bronx.
Ms. Armstrong developed ACC’s reputation by building a roster of more than 100 world renowned-artists, many whom contributed to the education programs. Ms. Armstrong’s dedication, artistry and love of music and musicians inspired all those who met her and performed with her, including Itzhak Perlman
, Skitch Henderson, Martha Graham
, Peter Duchin
, Kathie Lee Gifford
, Christopher Dodd, Ezra Laderman
and June Dunbar, to name a few.
, during which time she studied under the renowned teachers Ivan Galamian and Dorothy DeLay
. Soon she was at the Juilliard School
, she was among the select few chosen by Ivan Galamian
and Dorothy DeLay
to learn the finer points of the art of the violin in pursuit of a solo career. Other famous violinists in the same group were Itzhak Perlman
and Pinchas Zukerman
.
Ms. Armstrong made her Lincoln Center debut in 1976 and went on to perform with orchestras such as the Boston Pops, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
, the New Polish Philharmonic and with the Martha Graham Dance Company.
and New Milford
, as well as at Carnegie Hall
in New York City
. In addition, she built a sterling reputation as a teacher by committing the talents of top artists to her educational mission.
Ms. Armstrong, who was a prizewinner in the Tibor Varga International Violin Competition in Switzerland
and has received awards from the Society of American Musicians and Outstanding Artists of Illinois
, is listed in “Who’s Who in the East,” “Who’s Who in American Women,” “Outstanding Young Women of America” and “Who’s Who in Entertainment.” She has recorded on the Musical Heritage, Elysium and CRS labels — Reflections, on the Elysium label and the newest CD, Illusions, on CRS, which was recently released. Her violin, a J.B. Guadagnini, dated 1760, was one of her great loves.
Late in her life, Ms. Armstrong’s career took an exciting turn in a new direction. Always a classical violinist, Bruce Swedien
, arguably the most famous sound engineer in the world, convinced her to join him in producing a popular music recording. True to their vision, they produced early cuts of a remarkable new recording, before being interrupted by her death.
Helen died on April 28, 2006 in Greenwich, CT. at the age of 63
, they were married in 1996. Mr. Hutheesing, an investment banker, was the nephew of India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru
, and cousin of Indira Gandhi
. He took Ms. Armstrong to India several times where she performed in concerts.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by her daughter, Debbie Howser, of Litchfield, CT; her son, David Cohen, of Denver, Colo.; three grandchildren, Brenden, Tyler and Cailey; her sister, Nancy Potter of Big Rapids, Mich.; and her brother Robert Armstrong of Dallas, Ore.
Artistic director
An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company, that handles the organization's artistic direction. He or she is generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization...
of Armstrong Chamber Concerts Inc (ACC), a non-profit, chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
organization she founded in 1984. The creation and development of ACC was inspired by Avery Fisher
Avery Fisher
Avery Robert Fisher was an audio specialist who made numerous contributions to the field of sound reproduction.-Early life:...
and Skitch Henderson
Skitch Henderson
Lyle Russell Cedric “Skitch” Henderson was a pianist, conductor, and composer. His nickname reportedly derived from his ability to quickly "re-sketch" a song in a different key.- Biography :...
, who advised Ms. Armstrong that her new artistic mission should be to broaden public interest and knowledge of chamber music through performance and education. The heart of this mission has been to bring musical education to public and private schools through its unique Students’ Music Enrichment Program. More than 100,000 students have participated in this program in Litchfield and Fairfield counties, and in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
and the Bronx.
Ms. Armstrong developed ACC’s reputation by building a roster of more than 100 world renowned-artists, many whom contributed to the education programs. Ms. Armstrong’s dedication, artistry and love of music and musicians inspired all those who met her and performed with her, including Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman is an Israeli-born violinist, conductor, and instructor of master classes. He is regarded as one of the pre-eminent violinists of the 20th and early-21st centuries.-Early life:...
, Skitch Henderson, Martha Graham
Martha Graham
Martha Graham was an American modern dancer and choreographer whose influence on dance has been compared with the influence Picasso had on modern visual arts, Stravinsky had on music, or Frank Lloyd Wright had on architecture.She danced and choreographed for over seventy years...
, Peter Duchin
Peter Duchin
-Life and career:Duchin was born in New York City, the son of pianist and band leader Eddy Duchin. His mother was Marjorie Oelrichs, a Newport, Rhode Island and New York City socialite who died unexpectedly when he was just five days old. He was raised by close family friends, statesman W...
, Kathie Lee Gifford
Kathie Lee Gifford
Kathie Lee Gifford is an American television host, singer, songwriter and actress, best known for her 15-year run on the talk show Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, which she co-hosted with Regis Philbin...
, Christopher Dodd, Ezra Laderman
Ezra Laderman
Ezra Laderman is an American composer of classical music.-Biography:His parents, Isidor and Leah, both emigrated to the United States from Poland. Though poor, the family had a piano. Ezra writes, "At four, I was improvising at the piano; at seven, I began to compose music, writing it down...
and June Dunbar, to name a few.
Early life
Ms. Armstrong was born in Rockford, Ill., on March 16, 1943 to Dr. Robert Bruce and Hannah Armstrong. She first held a violin at the age of 3, with her mother was her teacher. She arrived in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, during which time she studied under the renowned teachers Ivan Galamian and Dorothy DeLay
Dorothy DeLay
Dorothy DeLay was an American violin instructor, primarily at the Juilliard School.She was born in Medicine Lodge, Kansas.-Career and education:...
. Soon she was at the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
, she was among the select few chosen by Ivan Galamian
Ivan Galamian
Ivan Alexander Galamian was an influential Armenian violin teacher of the twentieth century.He was born in Tabriz, Iran, but his family soon emigrated to Moscow, Russia. Galamian studied violin at the School of the Philharmonic Society there with Konstantin Mostras until his graduation in 1919...
and Dorothy DeLay
Dorothy DeLay
Dorothy DeLay was an American violin instructor, primarily at the Juilliard School.She was born in Medicine Lodge, Kansas.-Career and education:...
to learn the finer points of the art of the violin in pursuit of a solo career. Other famous violinists in the same group were Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman
Itzhak Perlman is an Israeli-born violinist, conductor, and instructor of master classes. He is regarded as one of the pre-eminent violinists of the 20th and early-21st centuries.-Early life:...
and Pinchas Zukerman
Pinchas Zukerman
Pinchas Zukerman is a world-renowned violinist, violist, and conductor. He is considered one of the greatest violinists of the 20th and 21st centuries, and his ongoing 45-year career has seen him perform with the world's best-known orchestras and record over 100 works...
.
Ms. Armstrong made her Lincoln Center debut in 1976 and went on to perform with orchestras such as the Boston Pops, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra is a major American orchestra based in Indianapolis, Indiana.Annually, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra performs 200 concerts for over 350,000 people. It is the largest performing arts organization in Indiana. The ISO is currently one of only 18 American...
, the New Polish Philharmonic and with the Martha Graham Dance Company.
Career
Ms. Armstrong’s career as an international virtuoso violinist was interrupted by the long illness and eventual death of her first husband, Alan Cohen. Never one to search for fame or fortune, Ms. Armstrong turned her talents largely towards achieving the mission of ACC while occasionally performing on the international stage. During the past 22 years her focus had been concert performances in elegant private homes in Greenwich, in other venues in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and New Milford
New Milford
New Milford may refer to:Places in the United States of America* New Milford, Connecticut* New Milford, Illinois* New Milford, New Hampshire* New Milford, New Jersey* New Milford, New York, a hamlet in Warwick* New Milford, Pennsylvania...
, as well as at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In addition, she built a sterling reputation as a teacher by committing the talents of top artists to her educational mission.
Ms. Armstrong, who was a prizewinner in the Tibor Varga International Violin Competition in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and has received awards from the Society of American Musicians and Outstanding Artists of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, is listed in “Who’s Who in the East,” “Who’s Who in American Women,” “Outstanding Young Women of America” and “Who’s Who in Entertainment.” She has recorded on the Musical Heritage, Elysium and CRS labels — Reflections, on the Elysium label and the newest CD, Illusions, on CRS, which was recently released. Her violin, a J.B. Guadagnini, dated 1760, was one of her great loves.
Late in her life, Ms. Armstrong’s career took an exciting turn in a new direction. Always a classical violinist, Bruce Swedien
Bruce Swedien
Bruce Swedien is a Grammy Award-winning audio engineer and music producer. He is known for his work with Quincy Jones.Swedien is a five-time Grammy winner and has been nominated 13 times. He recorded, mixed, and assisted in producing the best-sold album in the world, Thriller by Michael Jackson...
, arguably the most famous sound engineer in the world, convinced her to join him in producing a popular music recording. True to their vision, they produced early cuts of a remarkable new recording, before being interrupted by her death.
Helen died on April 28, 2006 in Greenwich, CT. at the age of 63
Personal life
Ms. Armstrong was widowed by her first husband, Alan Cohen in 1978. After a long relationship with her husband-to-be, Ajit HutheesingAjit Hutheesing
Ajit G. Hutheesing is the Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of International Capital Partners Inc. . ICP commenced investment activities in 1992, providing private placement equity to finance the growth of successful smaller companies. After a successful record of investments in small...
, they were married in 1996. Mr. Hutheesing, an investment banker, was the nephew of India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
, and cousin of Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
. He took Ms. Armstrong to India several times where she performed in concerts.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by her daughter, Debbie Howser, of Litchfield, CT; her son, David Cohen, of Denver, Colo.; three grandchildren, Brenden, Tyler and Cailey; her sister, Nancy Potter of Big Rapids, Mich.; and her brother Robert Armstrong of Dallas, Ore.