Helen Newby: Cellist
An avid interpreter of contemporary music, Helen Newby continually seeks ways to expand the technical and expressive boundaries of her instrument through close collaboration with other innovative performers and composers. She received her Bachelor’s in Music from the Oberlin Conservatory and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Cello Performance at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Her principal cello teachers have included Darrett Adkins, Jennifer Culp and Rachael Lonergan.
Helen was a two-time recipient of Oberlin’s Creativity and Leadership Fund, traveling to and touring Norway in January 2013 and touring the northeastern United States in June 2013. She has performed across North America and Europe in venues that range from Carnegie Hall, Disney Hall and The Fillmore to jazz clubs, dive bars and art galleries. This past summer, Helen was the cello fellow of the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, a 7-piece ensemble committed to the performance of new and contemporary compositions at the Aspen Music Festival. She was recently awarded a partnership with the Center for New Music in San Francisco.
Helen is a founding member of string trio Chartreuse, string quartet Amaranth, and jazz sextet deturtle. When not cello-ing, Helen can be found exploring Bay Area nature, drinking copious amounts of coffee, and looking for new ways to incorporate peanut butter into a meal.