Passionate about teaching, Helene has been inspiring students since her own undergraduate days. Prior to moving to New Zealand she was on the Preparatory/Extension Division faculty at both the New England Conservatory and San Francisco Conservatory, where she started young children on the violin, prepared high school students for their conservatory entrance auditions, and taught adult amateurs. In New Zealand she was on the staff of the Victoria University School of Music (later NZ School of Music Te Kōkı) from 1994 to 2024, teaching generations of violinists and chamber musicians to reach their expressive potential through a combination of caring and individualised technical and musical guidance. Her former students are members of the NZ Symphony Orchestra and the Christchurch Symphony, chamber musicians, music teachers, composers, doctors, musicologists, music administrators and acrobatics instructors. Co-founder of the Adam Chamber Music Summer School and founder and organiser of the Queen’s Birthday Chamber Music Weekend (Now Chamber Music Mega Weekend), she has touched the lives of countless more students through detailed and engaged chamber music coaching. During the lockdowns of 2020, she ran 14 weekly Zoom concerts for students aged 9-22 that reached audiences around the world. She is the Patron of Arohanui Strings+, Wellington’s ever-growing Sistema music teaching programme, and is a registered Suzuki violin teacher.
If you’d like a free trial lesson, IRL or on Zoom, or just have a music question, please use the Contact Me form at the top of the page.
The 2025 Chamber Music Mega Weekend will take place at Kings Birthday Weekend, from May 31-June 2. Public concert 2 pm Monday June 2.
VENUE: Queen Margaret College, Hobson St, Thorndon, Wellington
TUTORS will include:
Helene Pohl, Lynley Culliford, Alan Molina and Monique Lapins, violinists
Rolf Gjelsten, cellist
Richard Mapp, pianist
Duo Enharmonics: pianists Beth Chen and Nicole Chao
Immerse yourself in a whole weekend of music with experienced and enthusiastic tutors.
Develop new chamber music skills through intensive coachings, lots of rehearsal time, and master classes.
Ideal final preparation for the NZCT Chamber Music Contest.
Coachings and master classes Saturday and Sunday, coached dress rehearsal and concert 2 pm Monday.
Cost to attend all 3 days is $200 per person. This will include multiple coachings, a performance in a master class, a coached dress rehearsal, and the participation in the public concert. Timetable permitting we might run some instrumental master classes as well.
We are including the option of applying as a member of more than one group. If both groups are accepted, one may attend Saturday and Monday, and the other Sunday and Monday. Each group will receive coachings and perform in one master class. Obviously for any one group, attending for all 3 days will be most beneficial. But if both of your groups are keen, please discuss with them who would like to attend Saturday and who Sunday. If you don’t mind which day, there is a box to tick for that. The tuition fee to attend either Saturday or Sunday, plus the Monday dress rehearsal and concert, is $125 per person. The tuition fee for players in more than one group will be $250.
We realise that we have run this programme for free since 2020 (there was a cost prior to that year). However, we are unable to do that this year. We do realise finances are tight for some families.
I am looking into financial assistance options. Please send me an email to ask about this if it’s looking difficult for your family.
Happy Chamber Musicking!!
Helene