helena@atkin.london                                         Instagram



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ABOUT

Helena (London, 2001) is a British-Estonian composer-performer and ‘notationist’ who utilises performance, both as a means and as a lens, to inhabit and explore the inherent kineticism of the notated score. In doing so, she hopes to question how the inky forms within might be suspended just long enough for us to uncover and ‘body forth’ futures beyond the default of musical realisation. Much of her artistic work and research also takes an interest in language and textuality, performativity and gesture, and the subversive power of fantasy and mundanity as tools of preservation and resistance in the face of Soviet rule.

She holds a Master’s in Contemporary Performance and Composition (CoPeCo) from the Conservatoire Nationale Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Lyon and a Bachelor’s in Music (composition & classical piano performance) from The University of Manchester. She frequently collaborates with artists across a range of creative disciplines and has performed/had her work performed across Europe. She has held artistic residencies at Maajaam (EE), ActinArt Intensive (IS), and Copper Leg (EE). 

In 2025, she was selected to participate in Narva Art Residency’s ‘Kunstnikud on Kohal’ project, funded by The British Council. Working closely with local youth via a series of in-school workshops on critical perception and media literacy, this ambitious project sought to increase the availability and presence of contemporary art in Narva and Narva-Jõesuu and culminated in the creation of a collaborative installation for the residency’s collection.

Helena is also a passionate educator and teaches regularly, both professionally and as a volunteer (see ‘contact’ for more info). 

PERFORMANCES

21-22 MAR 25  
8 JAN 25
           
9 JUL 24              

17 JUN 24            

17 MAY 24        
1 FEB 24      
8 OCT 23          
26 MAY 23      
11 APR 23          
10 JAN 23        
10 DEC 22        
13 NOV 22        
9 OCT 22          
8 OCT 22          

THE POWER OF PERSPECTIVE by Finleigh Zack Dance - Chisenhale Dance Space, London, UK
PHI X ARCANE EXHIBITION - The Dublin Castle, London, UK
INKY WITH IT - HfMT Forum, Hamburg, DE
TELEMATIC MUSIC CONCERT with Georg Hajdu – Ligeti Zentrum, Hamburg, DE
TAOI 24-1 with Vlatko Kučan - The Art of Improvisation, Rezonanzraum, Hamburg, DE
LABOPÉRA –ENSATT, Lyon, FR
OPEN LAB – CNSMDL Salle de Varèse, Lyon, FR
TORNET #1 with Hara Alonso - Hagalunds Vattentorn, Stockholm, SE
SUDDENLY, IT IS MISSING - KMH Lilla Salen, Stockholm, SE
UNCOMMON THREADS - EMTA Blackbox, Tallinn, EE
IMPROTEST - Mustpeade Maja, Tallinn, EE
OVERHEAD - müriaadFEST, EMTA Blackbox, Tallinn, EE
JOHN CAGE 110 - Eesti Kontsert, Tallinn, EE
KAS JOHN CAGE ON SURNUD? - Mustpeade Maja, Tallinn, EE

PRESENTATIONS

13 JUN 25          

IN TOUCH WITH THE INVISIBLE: the inherent kineticism of [musical] notation’
LUUK! Dance Conference, Vaskjala, EE
©2024 Helena Atkin