Currently Freelancing in the UK, Helen Has Guested As Principal Harpist with Many of The

Helen Sharp

Currently freelancing in the UK, Helen has guested as Principal Harpist with many of the UK Symphony and Chamber Orchestras including the City of London Sinfonia, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, London Chamber Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra.

A founder member of the chamber ensemble CHROMA, Helen also regularly works with Lontano, and has issued recordings with the Gabrieli Consort, Britten Sinfonia and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. She is currently working with the Mahogany Opera Group on tow of their porjects, which are touring nationally and internationally. ‘Folie à Deux’: an opera scored for two singers and two instrumentalists; and ‘Lost in Thought’. Often invited to play in festivals as a guest artist, Helen’s performances over the past few years include the 2012 Yoxford Festival, 2012 Leicester International Festival, 2013 Potton Festival and the 2014 Lontano Festival of American Music. Recent concerto appearances include Mozart’s Flute and Harp Concerto with the Orchestra of the Swan and Handel’s Harp Concerto with the City of London Sinfonia.

Alongside her busy playing career she enjoys coaching young harpists and is one of the harp tutors for the National Children’s Orchestra. She has also had success with coaching many different instrumentalists through the mental side of audition preparation. Helen administers the annual Camac-sponsored harp classes at the North London Festival of Music. There are classes from Grades 1 through to Conservatoire level, culminating in the Camac Harp Competition for harpists resident in the UK who are under the age of thirty. She also serves on the Freelance Orchestral Committee of the Musicians’ Union.

After reading music at Clare College, Cambridge, Helen became a scholar at the Royal College of Music where she was awarded many prizes and was a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra for three years. Helen is also a keen sportswoman: she has run the London Marathon, and is an experienced Cox. In the latter capacity, she is a veteran of both men’s and ladies’ first VIII’s at Clare College and the Henley Women’s Regatta. She is currently in training for the World Rowing Masters Regatta.