A warm, natural and communicative presence on the podium Helen Harrison inspires exciting and compelling performances from the artists she collaborates with across orchestras, opera companies and choirs.
Helen is the Music Director for the Young Sinfonia, the Royal Northern Sinfonia’s Youth Orchestra. Helen recently made debuts with the BBC Concert Orchestra conducting ‘Friday Night is Music Night’, broadcast on BBC Radio 3, Southbank Sinfonia and Northern Silents Sinfonia.
Guest conducting includes the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sinfonia Viva, Hull Urban Opera Group, Northern Opera Group and Outreach Opera. This season includes returns to Sinfonia Viva, Southbank Sinfonia, a Side by Side concert with Opera North and Leeds Conservatoire and projects with the National Children’s Orchestra.
Recognised as one of the leading conductors in the country for her work with young people Helen relishes training the next generation of musicians conducting the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain, Trinity Laban Summer School Orchestra, Leeds Conservatoire and previously the Lancashire Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Helen is committed to provided opportunities for all musicians to develop their conducting skills. She coaches and mentors conductors and leads Conducting workshops for music leaders and young musicians including Workshops for Music Mark and Durham University. She is Lecturer in Conducting at Leeds Conservatoire.
Born, raised and living in Lancashire Helen is passionate about bringing the transformative power of music to her own community and is proud to be the Music Director for the award winning Blackpool Symphony Orchestra and Preston Opera. She is demand across the country for her work with non-professional orchestras including Wilmslow Symphony Orchestra, New Tyneside Orchestra, Hallam Sinfonia and Sheffield Philharmonic Orchestra.
Educated at a comprehensive school in Blackburn, Lancashire Helen read Music at Cambridge University and studied Conducting at the Royal Northern College of Music. She was a 2022/2023 participant on the flagship programme for Women Conductors run by the Royal Philharmonic Society and the Royal Northern Sinfonia. She has taken part in international Masterclasses run by the Royal Opera House, the Royal Philharmonic Society, the National Opera Studio and the Royal Northern College of Music.
Helen is the Vice Chair for Orchestras Live who work across England connecting communities with world class orchestras and their life changing power.