Helen Benson

Helen Benson is a Piccolo Tutor at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, part of Birmingham City University. She holds the position of Principal Piccolo in the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra since 2022. Previously, she served as 2nd flute/piccolo in the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra (Norway) and Principal Piccolo in the Monterrey Symphony Orchestra (Mexico). Her career spans orchestral performances with groups like the Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Mexico City Philharmonic, and Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, alongside chamber music collaborations through Ensemble Temporum and the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group (BCMG).

Education includes bachelor’s degrees from Chetham’s School of Music and Guildhall School of Music & Drama, followed by a Master of Fine Arts in Symphonic Playing from the Swedish National Orchestra Academy. She has held visiting teaching roles at Guildhall School of Music & Drama and maintains active performance engagements with UK orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic and Philharmonia.

Her expertise integrates pedagogy with professional orchestral practice, emphasizing contemporary repertoire and classical flute/piccolo techniques. Teaching focuses on instrumental mastery and ensemble dynamics, informed by her global orchestral experiences.