About Helen
A warm, natural and communicative presence on the podium British conductor Helen Harrison places people at the heart of every project she leads, working with orchestras, opera companies and more drawing out exciting, expressive performances that resonate with performers and audiences. State educated, Helen is passionate about everyone experiencing the transformative power of classical music in all its forms.
At a glance:
London Mozart Players & Peter Cigleris - Recording - Clive Jenkins Clarinet Concerto Sept 2026
Royal Northern Sinfonia & Young Sinfonia - Side by Side Dvorak 8 - July 2026
Orchestras for All - Modulo Project Orchestra July 2026
National Children's Orchestra Orchestras North - June 2026
English Touring Opera - Conducted Performances of 'Pagliacci' & 'The Gondoliers and assisted on the Spring Tour 2026
Streetwise Opera and the Orchestra of English Touring Opera - 'Reimagining Pagliacci', Hackney Empire, April 2026.
BBC Philharmonic 'Orchestra in a Day' - with Greater Manchester Music Hub March 2026
Bath Philharmonic Orchestra - 'The Snowman' Live to Film Dec 2025
BBC Concert Orchestra - 'Friday Night is Music Night' for Radio 3
Multiple events; Essex Vibrations Oct 2025, Energy Lowestoft July 2025, Peter & the Wolf Family Event, Paddington's First Concert - country wide, Pioneers Project LIVE & Recordings.
Sinfonia Smith Square - Side by Side Projects with Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School
Royal Northern Sinfonia
Multiple Side by Sides with Young Sinfonia,
The Snowman - Live to film,
Premiere 'In the Swamp by the Light of the Moon', composer Iain Farrington,
In Harmony North East Side by Side 10th Birthday Celebration Concert.
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Relaxed Performance.
Northern Silents Sinfonia Chaplin 'The Kid' - live to film - June 2024.
National Children's Orchestra Projects North June 2025, Midland Projects Midlands March 2024; NCO U12 Summer Residential and Concert, August 2023.
Trinity Laban Conservatoire Summer School Project Orchestra 2023.
OPERA
Productions include 'La Traviata', 'La Boheme' Puccini, 'Eugene Onegin' Tchaikovsky, Massenet Manon, Offenbach 'Tales of Hoffman', 'Carmen' Bizet, 'Macbeth' Verdi, 'West Side Story' Bernstein, 'Norma' Bellini, 'The Merry Widow' Lehar, 'Don Giovanni' Mozart.
English Touring Opera - Conducted Performances of 'Pagliacci' & 'The Gondoliers and assisted on the Spring Tour 2026.
Streetwise Opera and the Orchestra of English Touring Opera - 'Reimagining Pagliacci', Hackney Empire, April 2026.
Northern Opera Group - Conductor Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitor.
Outreach Opera, La Boheme North West Tour.
Jane Irwin - 'Letter Scene' Eugene Onegin, 'Prelude & Liebestod' Wagner, Barber 'Knoxville' & various operatic arias.
Pianist/Repetiteur
Streetwise Opera La Boheme Workshops, Manchester
Northern Opera Group Musical Confusion (Music Director/Piano/Creator), Sherlock Holmes R&D, Repetiteur, Accompanist Lunchtime Recitals
Amanda Roocroft Accompanying coachings & masterclasses
MUSIC DIRECTORSHIPS - THE NEXT GENERATION
Young Sinfonia, the Royal Northern Sinfonia's Youth Orchestra
The Glasshouse International Centre for Music.
Artistic Lead and Conductor;
University of Liverpool Symphony Orchestra run in partnership with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.
MUSIC DIRECTORSHIPS IN THE COMMUNITY
Music Director & Conductor - Blackpool Symphony Orchestra.
Music Director & Conductor - Preston Opera.
CONDUCTING COACHING AND TEACHING
Conducting Workshops - RAF, Future Talent, Hull Music Service, Durham University, Yorkshire Young Musicians.
Conducting Lectures - Leeds Conservatoire
Train the Teacher Workshops - North West Music Mark
One to one coaching and tuition for conductors working with ensembles across the country
Workshops with a range of youth orchestras, schools and non-professional orchestras.
ADVOCACY AND LEADERSHIP
Chair - Orchestras Live.
PANELLIST
RPS Awards - Conductor Award, Inspiration Award.
Making Music Awards
ENGAGING COMMUNICATOR
R3 and R4 Contributor
Empathetic presenter and compere of concerts,
Skilled speaker, host and panellist for live and online events.
MASTERCLASSES AND TRAINING
Royal Philharmonic Society Flagship Conductor Programme with Royal Northern Sinfonia 2022/23 Alumna
Royal Opera House Women Conductors’ International Masterclass July 2021.
Royal Philharmonic Society Pilot with the Royal Northern Sinfonia June 2021.
Royal Opera House – various courses including Lockdown/SkillUp.
Royal Opera House, Royal Philharmonic Society & National Opera Studio Inaugural Women Conducting Opera Sep 2018.
Various International Masterclasses at the Royal Northern College of Music
Coached and mentored by Jessica Cottis.
Read Music at Cambridge University.
Studied Conducting at the Royal Northern College of Music.
