Helen Wilson

As an orchestral player, Helen has played for international tours, radio and television broadcasts, BBC Proms performances and CD recordings with a number of orchestras. This includes work with the BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, the Hallé, Heritage Orchestra, John Wilson Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, London Concert Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Opera North Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, Sinfonia Cymru, Sinfonia of London, and the Welsh National Opera Orchestra. She held the flute chair position in West End productions of An American in Paris (Dominion Theatre), The King and I (London Palladium) and Evita (Regent Park Open Air Theatre). She has also depped on Les Miserables UK tour, Wicked UK Tour, The King and I UK Tour, Phantom of the Opera UK Tour and National Theatre’s production of Antony and Cleopatra. 

In 2011, Helen formed Tempest, a flute trio looking to expand and diversify the repertoire for this line up. In doing so they explored music from all genres, from baroque to jazz, and commissioned over 20 works from leading UK composers. The trio won several competitions including the Royal Overseas League Competition, Nonclassical Battle of the Bands, RNCM Chamber Music Prize and were 2nd prize winners of the International Kuhlau Competition. They were also Park Lane Group Artists, Manchester Midday Concert Series Artists and performed across the continent in venues such as the Wigmore Hall, London. Helen has played in a number of other chamber and contemporary ensembles including RIOT Ensemble, Ossian Ensemble, Psappha, Manchester Collective, Ensemble DEVA and LOKI ensemble. 

Passionate about music education, Helen has lead workshops for organisations including Live Music Now! and the British Flute Society. She teaches flute as a Senior Lecturer at Leeds Conservatoire and the University of Manchester. Helen also writes and arranges music, much of which she has written for her flute trio, Tempest.  Her most recent composition “People, Planet, Profit” written for Sinfonia Cymru, is a 3 set work that explores the topics of Climate Change and Sustainable Development. 

Helen took up the flute aged 9 at school in her home town of Harrogate. After seeing a television series about Chetham’s School of Music, she persuaded her parents to let her study there from the age of 12. Following this she completed her undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music graduating with an International Artist Diploma and the RNCM Gold Medal Award. Helen also plays various ethnic flutes and whilst a student, studied jazz flute as her 2nd study and played with NYJO (National Youth Jazz Orchestra).