Rachel Helleur
[1]Rachel Helleur-Simcock (born 1980)[2] is a British cellist and member of The Hallé
Biography
[edit]Born in Ipswich,[3][4] Rachel Helleur-Simcock studied cello at the Royal Academy of Music in London, the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, and later in Berlin at the Hochschule für Musik "Hanns Eisler" and at the Karajan Academy, the music academy associated with the Berliner Philharmoniker.[3] Helleur-Simcock then went on to play as a guest musician with the Philharmonia Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, and the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra.[3] She was Principal Cellist at the Deutsche Oper for two years before joining the Berliner Philharmoniker in 2009.[5][3] Helleur-Simcock was a permanent member of the Berliner Philharmoniker 2009-2025 also of the 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic. A portrait from the series "The Berliner Philharmoniker and their instruments" shows the musician in symphony concerts and at work with her string quartet. Helleur-Simcock also describes her 18th-century Italian instrument whose sound she associates with wood and honey.[6]
From the 2025/2026 season, Rachel Helleur-Simcock is the Section Leader, Cello, of The Hallé.[1] Her first concert, on the opening night of the season on 25 September 2025, became her solo debut as she stepped in at short notice to replace the indisposed Truls Mørk to perform Elgar's Cello Concerto.
References
[edit]- 1 2 Burns, Alex (11 September 2025). "The Hallé announces Rachel Helleur-Simcock as Leader of the Cello Section". The Hallé. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
- ↑ "Rachel Helleur-Simcock & Gwilym Simcock | Sandbach Concert Series". 25 July 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- 1 2 3 4 "Musicians: Rachel Helleur-Simcock". Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ↑ "Rachel Helleur". European Union Youth Orchestra. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ↑ Martina Helmig (22 August 2011). "Cellistin Rachel Helleur: Allein unter Männern". Berliner Morgenpost. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
- ↑ "RACHEL HELLEUR-SIMCOCK: A PORTRAIT".
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- Living people
- Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music
- Players of the Berlin Philharmonic
- English classical cellists
- British women classical cellists
- British classical cellists
- 21st-century British women musicians
- 21st-century British classical musicians
- Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin alumni
- Musicians from Ipswich
- 1980 births