Helen Neilson teaches cello across a socially diverse range of environments in London. She has a well established home Suzuki studio; is Head of Strings at Latymer Upper School, and teaches cello and bass at St Paul’s Girls’ School and on the whole class fully subsidised strings programme at the Sir John Cass Foundation Primary School. She takes regular cello group and chamber music
sessions at Bayswater Suzuki Groups, where the majority of her home studio students attend along with students from other London teachers. She regularly plays freelance with orchestras, although mainly on the double bass now, including tours to China and performances at the Casals Festival in Prades.

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Helen has taught on many courses and events, both within and beyond the Suzuki world including Bryanston International Summer School (since 2014); CelloFest; Pro Corda Cello Course; various youth orchestra courses and has delivered workshops annually on Cello Day for the London Cello Society since 2012. She was recently a principal consultant in setting the Trinity College cello repertoire lists for the international exam syllabus. She mentors developing
cello teachers on the London Music Masters programme, which helps to bring music to children in schools who may otherwise find instrumental lessons difficult to access. She was a previous Director of Cello Club, the Junior Division of the London Cello Society, and has designed and delivered many large scale events for young string players.

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Helen studied cello with teachers including Anna Shuttleworth, Naomi Butterworth and Melissa Phelps. She is very grateful to her Suzuki teacher trainer mentors including Carey Beth Hockett, Eulalia Subira, Ruben Riviera and Pam Devenport. She is currently training for level 5 with Eulalia Subira in Spain.