Helen Charuhas Gleason, a native of Washington, D.C., is currently adjunct instructor of piano at Belmont Academy, a division of Belmont University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts in Nashville, Tennessee. Prior faculty appointments include full-time positions at Columbia State Community College, Columbia, Tennessee, and Northern Virginia Community College, Sterling, Virginia. 

Helen is a noted teacher, pianist, and adjudicator for state and local affiliates of MTNA, National Federation of Music Clubs, and National Guild of Piano Teachers. Since 1999, she has chaired the Nashville Piano Achievement Competition, formerly Tennessee State Music Teachers Competition.  Helen is Associate Director, Belmont Young Artist Piano Invitational; she serves on the Steering Committee of Belmont Academy and board of the Nashville International Piano Competition. The Nashville Area Music Teachers Association and Tennessee Music Teachers Association named her 2008 Teacher of the Year.

Helen’s professional service includes Nashville Area Music Teacher’s Association’s (NAMTA) Corresponding Secretary/Historian and Director of Public Relations; Nashville Area National Guild of Piano Teachers Vice-President, Programs; Nashville Symphony Chorus Treasurer; and Nashville Advisory Council, Schermerhorn Symphony Center. She was elected to Pi Kappa Lambda, holds membership in Sigma Alpha Iota, Tennessee Music Teachers Association, Music Teachers National Association, and oversees Bellnote Junior Club, National Federation of Music Clubs. 

In 2009, five Gleason students earned superior rankings at Tennessee Music Teachers Association’s performance auditions, placing first and runner-up in concerto and runner up in piano solo 11th grade divisions; distinction marks from ABRSM, scholarships from Lead Belly Foundation, Belmont Academy, and Nashville Symphony Orchestra League, top awards at Nashville Piano Achievement Competition and Steinway Fun Competition, superior marks at NAMTA, NFMC, and Guild auditions, and at year end, one senior was awarded full tuition to Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music.  Students participated in masterclasses, MTNA auditions, Clavierfest, Curb Concerto Competition, Belmont Academy recitals, and Belmont’s Young Artist Piano Invitational.

Consistently, Gleason students have achieved highest rankings and earned scholarships. Recently, her students earned first place prizes from the Tennessee Music Teachers Association, Clavierfest, Steinway Fun Competition, Young Artist Achievement Awards, Nashville Piano Achievement Competition, the High School Diploma from the National Guild of Piano Teachers, and scholarships from the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts, Nashville Symphony Orchestra League, Lead Belly Foundation, Community Foundation, and Belmont Academy.

Helen holds the B.M. in piano performance from East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, where she studied with Dr. Robert L. Carter and graduated magna cum laude.   Subsequently, she attended George Peabody College for Teachers, Nashville, Tennessee, studying with Dr. Lucien Stark and graduating with the M.M. in piano performance.  She completed additional work including private studies with Elizabeth Travis, Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois, numerous piano seminars and workshops, and informal studies at the Vanderbilt University Divinity School.

Ms. Gleason is married to William H. Gleason, founder of the Vergers’ Guild of the Episcopal Church. Their married daughter, Anna Kauderer, lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband, Dave and daughter, Eleni.  Additional to musical activities, Helen works with the Dean’s Office, Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education and Human Development, Nashville, Tennessee.