Helen Thomas

Courses: Chamber Music  Wind Ensemble

Helen is a musician, lecturer, music administrator and researcher into arts, health and wellbeing.

An oboist and member of Orchestre dell'Arte, Wirral Symphony Orchestra and the Liverpool Bach Collective, she recently performed concerti by Vivaldi and Marcello with Liverpool String Orchestra and Wirral Orchestra, both conducted by fellow WMA Summer School tutor Neill Jackson.

As a cor anglais player recent performances include The Swan of Tuonela by Sibelius, Quiet City by Aaron Copland, and Donizetti's Concertino for Cor Anglais and Small Orchestra.

In 2018 Helen attended the Royal Northern College of Music Conducting Course for Music Educators. She has also attended the practical conducting course at Sherborne Summer School where she received tuition from Rudolfo Saglimbeni and John Longstaff.

She was appointed as conductor of the Chester Sinfonia in September 2018 since when the orchestra has performed in the furniture department of John Lewis, raised over £1,000 for charity, and commissioned a new work from Dimitri Arnauts.

She was invited to become the wind tutor of the Workers Musical Association Summer School in 2019.

Helen has a PhD in music. She is Artistic Coordinator and Public Engagement Officer in the School of the Arts at the University of Liverpool where she runs the Lunchtime Concerts and a Public Lecture Series and looks after the partnership with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.