Helena Gaunt

Helena Gaunt is a musician, author and thought-leader on music education and professional practice, having been a professional oboist for many years, and founding member of the Britten Sinfonia. Principal of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (RWCMD) and a Professor, she sits on the Council of the Royal Philharmonic Society, and has recently completed a leading role for the European Association of Conservatoire’s major project Strengthening Music in Society.

Helena joined RWCMD in 2018 after over 25 years teaching and in leadership roles at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London where she initiated and directed the international Reflective Conservatoire Conference, chaired the Innovative Conservatoire (ICON) partnership, and set up the Guildhall Creative Entrepreneurs scheme, incubating over 40 new businesses in the performing arts.

Major publications include ‘Musicians as “Makers in Society”: A Conceptual Foundation for Contemporary Professional Higher Music Education’ (2021);  Expanding Professionalism in Music and Higher Music Education: A Changing Game (2021) co-edited with Professor Heidi Westerlund; Musicians in the Making: Pathways to Creative Performance (2017) co-edited with Professor John Rink and Professor Aaron Williamon, and Collaborative Learning in Higher Music Education (2013). She is a National Teaching Fellow (2009) and Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She lives in Cardiff and has five children, including two sets of twins.