Helen O'Hara

Helen O’Hara graduated from the Birmingham Conservatoire with a distinction in Performing Studies. During her post-graduate year Helen was invited to play with Dexys Midnight Runners on their Too-Rye-Ay album and subsequently joined the group in preference to an offer from the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra. Dexys achieved worldwide success with the album and single, Come On Eileen, which spent 17 weeks in the UK charts, 4 of which were at no.1. Helen was violinist, co-writer and co-producer for Dexys critically acclaimed Don’t Stand Me Down album and violinist and music director for Dexys Coming to Town tour. Helen played violin and co-wrote Because of You which was the theme tune to the popular BBC 1 sitcom Brush Strokes reaching no 13 in the charts. In 1987 Dexys disbanded. Helen co-wrote Remember Me with Kevin Rowland for his solo album, The Wanderer.

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From 1988 to 1990 Helen worked with Tanita Tikaram playing on the hit single Good Tradition from her album Ancient Heart and on her following albums The Sweet Keeper and Everybody’s Angel. Helen toured extensively with Tanita in Europe and the US and worked as a session player for other artists, including Graham Parker, Mary Coughlan and The Adventures.

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In 2015 Helen returned to music playing violin on Women of Ireland and contributing to the post production on Dexys album Let the Record Show: Dexys Do Irish and Country Soul. Following the album’s release in 2016, Helen joined Dexys as violinist and music director for various live shows and radio/TV performances.

She will be reading from and discussing her memoir, What's She like.

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https://www.helenohara-violin.com/

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