Biography
Helen was born in Bradford and attended Woodhouse Grove School. She went on to study music at Manchester and Cardiff Universities. She Graduated with honours in 2001. Whilst in Cardiff she was a member of the Welsh National Youth Opera where she took part in several productions as both a chorus member and as a principle. She also sang as part of the Welsh National Opera Chorus in a performance of Verdi's Requiem at St David's Hall, under the baton of Carlo Rizzi. After Graduation Helen moved to Bolton and continued her vocal studies privately. She is currently under the tuition of David Maxwell Anderson at the Royal Northern College of Music.
Helen has been an active principle and chorus member of many amateur and professional opera companies in the North West including: Opera 74, North Star Opera, City of Manchester Opera and Preston Opera. Operatic roles performed include: Carmen (Carmen, Mercedes), Samson & Delilah (Delilah cover) and Orpheus in the Underworld (Diana), Dido & Aeneas (2nd Witch), Elixir of Love (Chorus), La Traviata (Flora) and Trovatore (Azucena) Jenufa (Grandmother Buryja). Helen is currently studying for a Masters Degree in Vocal Performance at the Royal Northern College of Music. So far at the college Helen has played (Mrs Grose) in Turn of the Screw and (Bradamante) in Alcina and (La Natura) in La Callisto as opera excerpts, Cinderella's Stepmother (and cellist) in a singer/musician production of Sondheim's Into the Woods, the role of (the Baroness) in the college's production of Barber's Vanessa and Albert Herring (Florence Pike) and she was a finalist in the Michael & Joyce Kennedy Strauss Prize. In March 2012 Helen will be singing the role of (Arsamenes) in the RNCM Production of Handel's Serse and in July 2012 she will be singing the Witch in Clonter Opera's Hansel & Gretel.
Helen is also much in demand as a concert soloist and has even performed as a pre-match singer for several Rugby Super League Matches in front of crowds of up to 17,000 fans. She recently performed as the Alto Soloist in Rossini's Petite Messe Solonelle with Bradford Festival Choral Society and in March she will be the soloist in Elgar's Music Makers down at Haslemere Hall in Surrey.
Helen's studies at the RNCM this year are supported by the Riga Heesom Award.
