Helen Oughtibridge
Helen was born in Durham and began playing the clarinet through the County Peripatetic Music Service. She went on to study at Trinity College of Music in London with Hale Hambleton, Anthony Jennings, Joan-Enric Lluna and Michael Whight. In 2003, Helen gained First Class Honours and last year completed a Postgraduate Course there, assisted by a TCM scholarship.
During her time at Trinity she had several competition successes, including the Wilfred Hambleton Award, the Gladys Puttick Improvisation Prize and was a semi-finalist in the TCM soloist competition. Most recently, she was a semi-finalist in both the Croydon Soloist Competition and the Tunbridge Wells Young Concert Artist Competition.
In 2007 Helen was a soloist in Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante with St Paul's Sinfonia and in 2008 she performed the premiere of Andy Meyer's bass clarinet concerto with the Kingston Chamber Orchestra.
Helen particularly enjoys orchestral playing and, whilst studying, was a member of the London Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, The Wallace Ensemble and The National Musicians Symphony Orchestra and participated in the London Philharmonic Desk Partnership Scheme. She is now Co-Principal clarinet in St Paul's Sinfonia and an extra player with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the Milton Keynes City Orchestra and she also plays with several chamber music groups, including The Accacia Wind Quintet.
Other biogs
Clariphonics, Benjie del Rosario, Helen Pierce, Stuart Smith