Helen Kuby

Helen Kuby is a versatile French horn educator and performer at the Royal Academy of Music, teaching horn at the Junior Academy while lecturing on horn and performance psychology pedagogy for the LRAM teaching qualification. She concurrently serves as horn faculty at North London Collegiate School and Highgate School, and coaches for National Children’s Orchestra and Future Talent.

Education

• MSc Performance Science, Royal College of Music (Distinction)
• Graduate, Royal Academy of Music (Hilda Martindale Trust support)
• Open Academy Fellowship recipient
• London Sinfonietta Academy participant

Research Focus

Her scholarly work integrates performance psychology with musician wellbeing, leveraging her multi-genre performance background across classical, jazz, pop, and musical theatre. She develops evidence-based pedagogical frameworks that address psychological resilience and healthy performance practices for developing musicians, emphasizing injury prevention and mental health in high-pressure musical environments.

Awards

• RCM Accelerate award for commitment, impact and growth of her work

Professional Development & Mentorship

Helen coaches horn players for National Children’s Orchestra and Future Talent, securing placements for students in elite youth ensembles and competitive music scholarships. She leads Healthy Young Musician workshops and provides individual performance coaching at Junior Academy, focusing on holistic artistic development beyond technical proficiency.

Collaborative Networks

She partners with City of London Sinfonia, English National Opera, and Wigmore Hall for outreach initiatives, while serving as brass specialist in the Academy’s widening participation department. Her consultancy extends to training staff at junior conservatoires and Music Hubs nationwide on performance science applications.