Helena Sarah Townsend

Helena Sarah Townsend is a 21 year old mezzo-soprano from Cumbria. She is currently in her second year of studies at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire under the joint tutelage of Cathy Benson and Jonathan Gunthorpe. She was awarded a scholarship for her studies, as well as the Gordon Clinton prize for English Song in 2019. Helena was introduced to singing via choral music. She sang in the Carlisle Cathedral Youth Choir as well as working as their alto lay-clerk. She has also been a member of the National Youth Choir and the National Youth Chamber Choir and has performed in three BBC Proms (including a First Night) with them as well as other concerts, with highlights being the Choral at Cadogan Hall series and a Snape Prom at Snape Maltings. As a member of the choir she was involved in multiple recordings that have been released on Spotify and has been broadcast live on radio and TV several times. Additionally she was a member of Quay Voices who are based at The Sage, Gateshead and performed as part of the BBC Proms Youth Choir in a BBC Prom under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle. She currently sings with the CBSO Chorus. As well as singing, Helena has trained as a cellist. She was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, with whom she performed the English premiere of Mixed Messages by Nico Muhly. She has won the Carlisle Music Festival both as a soloist and as a member of a string quartet. She currently takes cello as a second study at the Conservatoire under the tutelage of Catherine Ardagh-Walter. Helena's music education began at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Penrith. She was a member of the chamber choir, orchestra and string quartet as well as being involved in multiple school productions. In her last year she played the part of Anita in West Side Story as well as acting as co-director. Most of Helena's music education took place at the Junior Royal Conservatoire of Scotland which she attended for 3 years. She studied under Betsy Taylor for cello and Polly Beck for voice, as well as being a member of the Chamber Choir under the baton of Andrew Nunn and member of the symphony orchestra. In her spare time Helena likes to write and record songs under the pseudonym of Helsa.