Helena Jung, Our Director
Helena Jung has an extensive career as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician, and teacher for over 25 years. Her talent and natural ability to lead amateur musicians have enabled her to be a perfect fit as the conductor for the Strathcona Symphony Orchestra (SSO).
Helena received her BMus and MMus in Seoul, Korea, and she has performed with the Jeunesses Musical World Orchestra, the Seoul Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Gyeonggi Provincial Philharmonic Orchestra as the principal cellist.
She participated in various musical programs, such as the Ratzeburger Sommer Akademie Festival in Germany and the Verbier Festival in Switzerland. She has appeared as a soloist with the Seoul Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, the Ewha University Symphony Orchestra, the Gyeonggi Provincial Philharmonic Orchestra in Korea, and the Nanaimo Chamber Orchestra.
Locally, she has been invited as a performer and faculty to Concerts Denman, Lulu Performing Arts, Quadra Chamber Music Festival, and CYMC.
Helena is a member of the BC Registered Teachers Music Association and the Suzuki Association of the Americas. Furthermore, she has held her own cello recital series; “Cellobration” and her students’ concerts “Hello, Cello!” since 2007. She founded “Hello Strings” with local string teachers since 2022 to build a community of local string players. She has been leading her cello community group, “Cello Playground” since 2020, and “Kids on Strings” to encourage young musicians (under 10 years old) to share their love for music with one another.
At the pinnacle of her career, Helena is exhilarated to lead the SSO to unprecedented feats and enrich the Valley with music unlike any other. Her passion for music can be heard in her work and always leaves concertgoers eager for more.