Helen Swift - Director

Thame Choral Society welcomed Helen Swift as their Choral Director in September 2013. Helen started her singing career in Liverpool as a member of the National Youth Choir of Great Britain at the age of fourteen and had early success in the BBC Choir Girl of the Year competition. She then went on to win a choral scholarship to Clare College, Cambridge where she studied music, and then opera in London and Dublin. She now studies with Michelle Wegwart, artistic director of Magdala Opera in Nottingham.

Helen has performed in many of the major concert venues including St Paul’s Cathedral, Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, and Domplatz in Salzburg. Recent opera roles include Pamina in The Magic Flute with the Magdela Opera Group, Oberto in Alcina with Cambridge Handel Opera Group, and Susannah in Figaro.

Helen has worked with many distinguished artists, including Sir David Willcocks, Stephen Cleobury and John Rutter. She has appeared as a soloist on many CDs including Lesley Garrett’s album Travel into Light, Palestrina’s Missa Assumpta Est Maria, Tippett’s Negro Spirituals, and Motets of the Bach Family. Recently she has worked on a Max Richter film score and a DVD for comedian Lee Evans.

In addition to Thame Choral Society, Helen is also the musical director of Oxford Welsh Male Voice Choir (Helen is half Welsh herself), Towcester Choral Society and the Singing for Pleasure Choir in London, and teaches singing at Rugby School.

She is in great demand as a vocal coach and arranger, and holds workshops both for children and adults. Outside her musical world Helen loves travel and enjoys sport from marathon running to salsa dancing and running around after her two young children.