My Story

WHEN YOU THINK OF THE VIOLIN…

When you think of the violin, you may immediately think of orchestras and symphonies, yet the violin has been a very prominent instrument in the world of Jazz.  Artists like Regina Carter, Noel Pointer, Eddie South and the first lady of Jazz Violin Ginger Smock (among others) have shown just how Jazzy you can get with a violin. Brooke Alford, The Artist of the Violin is one of today’s stand-out contemporary jazz violinists.  Ms. Alford has been coined as “The Viosocalist” and “The Artist of the Violin” since the start of her 2007 career because of the smooth, soulful, and vocal-like sound and approach in her playing. This Aberdeen, North Carolina native who calls Atlanta, Georgia home is blazing the airwaves with her several of her latest Smooth Jazz singles. These singles are featured on her May 2023 album release, “Heaven on Earth”.

 An R&B/Soul Jazz Charting Artist, Smooth Jazz Network 2022 Breakout Artist Nominee, Recording Academy Voting Member, and 2022 Marquis Who’s Who Biographical Listee, and an International Teaching Artist, Brooke Alford, The Artist of the Violin is an artist who consistently strives for excellence all-round.  Since the start of her professional career in 2007, Ms. Alford has independently released 2 LPs and 2 EPs under her company and label, Alford Enterprises & Entertainment Group, LLC.  Her second CD, "The Viosocalist" EP was produced and released under The Platinum Crown Music Independent label, totaling 5 CDs in Ms. Alford’s discography.  2018 marked Ms. Alford’s official national radio debut with her Smooth Jazz single, "Closer" featuring award-winning International Recording Artist Bob Baldwin.  Ms. Alford’s body of work encompasses a fresh and creative blend of Smooth Jazz, R&B, Hip-Hop, Dance, Reggae, Western European Classical, and more. 

Propelling her pathway forward, Ms. Alford has opened for some of the most notable musical artists and entertainers in the industry. These notable artists and entertainers include The Whispers, Mint Condition, Peabo Bryson, Najee, Will Downing, Marion Meadows, Paul Taylor, Marcus Johnson, India.Arie, Tony, Toni, Tone`, and the late iconic Comedians Paul Mooney and Dick Gregory. She has also recorded with Saxophonist Marcus Anderson and Chante Cann, shared the stage with Julian Vaughn, Alex Bugnon, Ryan Kilgore, Hip-Hop Legend Chubb Rock and has toured nationally with Reggae Superstar and Icon Beres Hammond. Currently, Ms. Alford is on tour with the incomparable all-women’s jazz collective, Jazz in Pink featuring renowned keyboardist and Music Director, Gail Jhonson.

EARLY LIFE

Surrounded by creativity from birth, Ms. Alford’s Mother, Dell Alford (who is a retired music educator and piano instructor), and her Father, The Late Dr. Vernon Alford Jr. (who was a retired educator, author, and visual artist), nurtured her and her two siblings' fascinations with music and the arts from an early age. Ms. Alford’s older sister, Mia Alford Fearon, is a professional clarinetist and music specialist, and their younger brother, Vernon Alford III, is a business administration professional and professional videographer of his media company V-Smooth Productions.

Ms. Alford began formally dancing at the age of three, studying the piano at the age of five, and then began studying the violin with Violinist, Heather Ritchie just a few years later after moving to Marietta, GA where Ms. Alford was raised. 

Ms. Alford’s parents’ extensive vinyl LP collection of Soul, Funk, Classical, Gospel, and Jazz of great legends such as Barry White, The OJs, Ottis Redding, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Ohio Players, Prince were the sounds coming from the speakers in the Alford household on a typical day.  These captivating sounds were filled with live strings, which subconsciously, resonated with Ms. Alford, inspiring her instantly to dance, sing, and play the piano!  The violin was destined to make its way into her life just a few years later.  

By the time Ms. Alford reached high school, the violin became her primary focus outside of athletics and dance.  She then began studying privately with Atlanta Symphony Violinist, Jay Christy, to advance her playing to the collegiate level of study.

EDUCATION

Brooke Alford received her Bachelor of Music degree Cum Laude under the prestigious Florida State University College of Music.  She was under the instruction of the late Beth Newdome, former Associate Concertmaster of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.  Ms. Newdome’s beautiful life was shortened by cancer in 2010.  Not only was she a phenomenal Violinist and instructor, but was one of Ms. Alford’s most influential inspirations during her studies at FSU.  Ms. Alford is honored to currently possess one of the violins that used to belong to Ms. Newdome.  She named this cherished possession “Anaiya Leshae”.  All of Ms. Alford’s albums were recorded on Anaiya LeShae.  The featured track “Twenty-Two" off of The Viosocalist is her personal dedication to Ms. Newdome. 

While studying at FSU, Ms. Alford’s performed for World Renowned Jazz Violinist, Regina Carter during Mrs. Carter’s Atlanta Jazz Festival master class and participated in the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, NC.  Brooke also studied under the FSU International Program in London, England with Royal Philharmonic Violinist, Eric Chapman.

THE VIOLIN AND VIOLA STUDIES PROGRAM

Ms. Alford is passionate about working with young people, especially young musicians. Her studies program (which focuses on one-on-one training) was established in 2020 during the global pandemic as a way for students to continue their musical studies while school music programs were shutting down indefinitely.  

Growing up in a household with two Educators, Ms. Alford understands the value of education. Although she has been teaching privately for 22 years, this studies program has enabled her to structure a quality, national program. With students from the east coast to the west coast ranging from ages 9 to 70, Brooke is grateful to share her gifts and expertise in helping to develop the next generation of musicians and leaders! More information about this program can be found by clicking below.

Ms. Alford is a Mark Wood Violins International Teaching Artist, and in her local metro-Atlanta community, she works with the 501c3 organization Henry for Music, Inc. and their After-school Enrichment Program (ASEP). Ms. Alford has been working with young string players in various string programs around the country and one-on-one since 2002.   

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

"When we feel and look our best, we perform our best!" Ms. Alford’s number one priority is maintaining a healthy and fit lifestyle. She encourages her fans, musical friends, and supporters to put their health first so that they can feel great doing what they love and be of service to others.

Ms. Alford successfully manages the physical and mental demands of the entertainment industry on and off the stage through her holistic life regimen. As a performer and former athletic competitor in 5k, 10k races as well as a bikini model and fitness modeling, Ms. Alford has learned the value of hard work in both fields. Her competitive nature drives her to overcome her challenges directly.

After beginning her formal dance studies at age 3, Ms. Alford then moved to tennis in elementary school, and to track and cross country running (her number one athletic love) in high school. She competed on the high school cross country and track teams and continued her running and dance regimens in college. While at FSU, an injury prevented her from trying out for the track team while studying for her Violin Performance degree, but despite the injury experienced then, running is still part of her routine to remain healthy.

It was in 2012 that Ms. Alford decided to take her competitive athletic drive to an entirely new level. She began fitness and bikini model training for her first fitness competition, The FitSciences Championships. Master fitness professional, Kendall Wood trained Ms. Alford for a two month period prior to the competition. Taking on this challenge completely changed Brooke’s outlook on health and fitness, resulting in a 20lb fat loss and 6lb muscle gain!

Brooke was one of the top 10 bikini model competitors in the competition. This accomplishment motivated Brooke to compete in the East Cobb Chick-fil-A 5k race series in October 2012, where she placed 1st in her division and 4th place overall female; in The FitSciences Health of Atlanta 5k run in June 2013, where she was the overall winner; in the Transfiguration Catholic Church's "Mission Run: Run for their lives" 5k race in November 2013, where she placed 1st in her division, 5th place overall female, and 18th overall runner of 200+ runners. In February 2014 during the RetOlympics Cardio Tri-atholon competition (run 2 miles, bike 2 miles, and perform 2 miles on the eliptical) at Retro Fitness of Kingston / Princeton in New Jersey, Ms. Alford placed 1st overall female.

Ms. Alford keeps a steady workout regimen through strength training and HIIT and is an advocate of harmonized holistic living, Earth food nutrition, and planet care. She loves to read, learn, laugh, work with the youth, laugh, bask in nature and the sun, seek greater knowledge of self, spend time with her loving family and friends, and prepare delicious and nourishing vegan cuisine.

Presently, Ms. Alford is a Wellness Coach who encourages cleansing and healing all-round for women in the business and beyond. She has been educating musicians, creatives, professionals, and families through her home-based business New Horizons intentionally since February 2021.  Having experienced the transition of her Beloved Father Dr. Vernon R. Alford Jr. from gastrointestinal cancer in 2020, Ms. Alford was inspired to launch New Horizons to present solutions and awareness for many of today’s societal health concerns.

For more info regarding New Horizons, email us at: info@brookealfordviolin.com

THE PRESENT

Currently, Ms. Alford is on her national “Heaven on Earth” Tour celebrating her new album “Heaven on Earth”, teaching young violin players and Music Educators through the Mark Wood International Rock Orchestra Camp and in the metro-Atlanta area with Henry for Music, Inc.’s After-school Enrichment Program (ASEP).