Graham was our second Son, born at Home in Worksop Nottinghamshire but spent his Schooldays in Shropshire when theFamily moved due to his Father?s promotion within the Central Electricity Generating Board. At an early age he showed promise in music and was selected at his Primary School for special tuition by a peripatetic teacher from the Shropshire Music Service. He studied violin under Miss Elsa Chamberlain passing Grade 8 in both Violin and Piano.
He won the Shropshire Concerto Competition at age 14 and became leader of the Shropshire Schools Symphony Orchestra at the same age. He showed equal ability in academic subjects achieving A Grades at Advanced level but opted for a career in Music having been accepted for The Royal College of Music. There he studied Violin and Viola under Frances Mason being awarded Exhibitioner status and graduating in both plus as a Teacher of Music. From The Royal College OF Music he went to The B.B.C. playing in the Radio and Festival Orchestras.
During this time he also travelled to Cologne, Germany for further violin studies under Professor Igor Ozim. When the B.B.C. financial cut-backs caused the closure of the Radio Orchestra he moved to Cologne joining orchestras in Cologne and Wuppertal to finance his studies with Professor Ozim. The closure of the Wuppertal Orchestra led to him taking a post with the German arm of a U.S. Software company as a customer liasion using his linguistic skills to deal with queries coming from across Europe. He was offered I.T. training and became a gifted analyst and programmer. He moved to America with the parent company, and later joined Compuware Corporation where he rose to become Director for E-Business Solutions in which capacity he was flying to Los Angeles for a Seminar on United Flight 175 on September 11 2001 when it was deliberately crashed into the South Tower of The World Trade Center, New York.
Graham was known among his colleagues as a gifted communicator who could explain highly complex procedures in a way that customers could grasp and so was a valued asset to Compuware and was also remembered for his sense of humour and his beaming smile which could win round the most irate colleague or client. We remember him as a loving caring Son who brought great joy into our lives with his sweet nature and made our lives richer with his love for and gift of music-making.
Charles Berkeley
Graham Andrew Berkeley was one of Shropshire's most talented young Musicians. At the age of 14 he was leader of The Shropshire Schools Symphony Orchestra. He also achieved first class academic grades at Advanced level but opted for a Musical career, auditioning for and being awarded a place at The Royal School of Music. There he was awarded Exhibitioner status in Violin and Viola graduating in both as well as a Teacher of Music. From The Royal College of Music he went to the B.B.C as a violinist with the B.B.C. Radio and Concert Orchestras. He then went to Germany to Cologne to study violin under Professor Igor Ozim, financing his further studies by playing in two local Orchestras in Cologne and Wuppertal. The closure of the Wuppertal Orchestra led him to seek employment with the German arm of Sterling Software where his linguistic skills were utilised to deal with enquiries from clients around Europe.
He was offered I.T. Training and proved a gifted programmer eventually transferring to Sterling Software in America. He later joined Compuware Corporation where he rose quickly to become Director for e-Business Solutuions, in which capacity he was flying to Los Angeles aboard United Flight 175 on that fateful day Tuesday September 11 2001.
Graham was a highly talented and engaging man who will be sorely missed by his Parents and Brothers and by all his Colleagues and those who had the privilege of teaching and seeing him develop. Such a life so full of Grace and Talent richly deserves to be remembered.
Head of Shrewsbury College