The Hallé Orchestra in Manchester has announced the appointment of Rachel Helleur-Simcock as Section Leader of the cello section from the 2025/26 season.
Born in Ipswich, Helleur-Simcock studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and later at the Hochschule für Musik “Hanns Eisler” in Berlin, completing her training at the Berlin Philharmonic’s Karajan Academy. She went on to spend 16 years with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, performing in major concert halls around the world and as part of its celebrated ensemble, The 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic.
Earlier in her career, she served as Principal Cellist of the Deutsche Oper Berlin and has guest-led cello sections with orchestras including the Bavarian Radio Symphony, Oslo Philharmonic, Hamburg Radio, Philharmonia, and London Philharmonic. As a soloist, she has toured extensively with Elgar’s Cello Concerto, and in Berlin she was a founding member of the Varian Fry Quartet, composed entirely of Philharmonic musicians.
She will make her debut with The Hallé as soloist in Elgar’s Cello Concerto on 25 September, replacing Truls Mørk, who has withdrawn due to unforeseen circumstances. The opening concert of The Hallé’s 2025/26 season will be conducted by Kahchun Wong, the orchestra’s Principal Conductor and Artistic Adviser.
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