New face, same accent…

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March 14, 2023

For nearly 15 years, Helen Leitner has dedicated her numerous skills and indefatigable energy to the communication and artistic relations of Camac Harps. During her time with us, our French company has become more international and closer to harpists around the world. Helen has now decided to pursue a new direction and we wish her every success.

Alexander Rider, an old friend, will be taking over Helen’s duties.

With interests encompassing period performance to the newest music, Alexander performs regularly with major ensembles throughout the United Kingdom. These include the BBC Concert Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the London Sinfonietta, London Chamber Orchestra, Ballet Rambert, the Aurora Orchestra, English Touring Opera, Brighton Philharmonic, Chroma, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique and the Academy of Ancient Music.

As a soloist, Alexander is noted for his affinity with French music at the turn of the last century, and for his work on original instruments of the period. Using an Erard harp built in 1902, Alexander has made painstaking research into the époque and given numerous lectures and recitals to great acclaim. He has lectured at the World Harp Congress in Cardiff, for the Franz Liszt Academy of Music (Budapest), The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and the Harp on Wight Festival. He is delighted to have recorded ‘Fresque Marine’, a disc of French works on Willowhayne Records.

Alexander studied with Gabriella Dall’Olio and Frances Kelly, and was then a scholarship student of Imogen Barford at the Guildhall school of Music and Drama. From here, he graduated with distinction, and was subsequently honoured with a Guildhall Artists’ fellowship.

We are delighted to welcome him to the Camac team, and we are very excited about his future contribution and success! We are currently carrying out a thorough handover, assuring the quality and continuity you can expect from our company.