Senior Lecturer of Cello and of Music Performance and Pedagogy DMA(Otago) in cello performance, Graduate Performance Diploma (Peabody Institute, John Hopkins), Recital Diploma (Conservatoire De Musique de Genève), BMus(Hons) (Pretoria), BMus ed University of the Northwest, LRSM (piano), LUSA (cello).
Performing and recording of music from all time periods, including contemporary music from South Africa & New Zealand in the role of: - Soloist with orchestra - Soloist in recitals - Cellist in chamber music recitals - Principal/leading cellist/director in orchestras and cello ensembles
Pedagogy of music performance, cello technique, piano, and chamber music/music education
Biomechanics of movement and posture, muscular awareness and control in skill development of performers for enhancing optimum freedom of expression, prevention and recovery of performance related injury/pain and implications for teaching methods informed by science and technology. Based on research using Surface Electromyographic analysis (SEMG)
Music performance, identity and place and a sense of place, performer-composer collaboration in research-based practice projects commissioning, performing, and recording of new works by New Zealand and South African composers in, “Cello for Africa”, “Cellists Aotearoa” and “Tahu-nui-ā-rangi”.
Research-based practice, practice-based research, performance as research, autoethnography
Community Activities
Cellists of Otago director, concert leader and soloist of cello ensemble (cellistsofotago.com)
Principal cellist, Dunedin Symphony Orchestra
Cello section coach Dunedin Youth Orchestra
Chamber music coach for groups in NZCT Chamber Music Contest
Master classes and workshops in cello/chamber music/pedagogy of music teaching/ movement education
Public speaker on music performance, movement, and learning and teaching (music)
Adjudicator on national music competition panels and external examinator
Heleen's research and performances focus on music's ability and purpose to communicate meaning and connection.Her playing is therefore often described as "enthralling", "moving", with "intense richness, warmth of tone and heartfelt passion".
She integrates a scientific and technology informed approach to music making, bringing together her knowledge of how we learn, how we teach, how we move, to play with freedom of expression. She applies her 10-year study into the biomechanics of posture and movement using Electromyographic analyses to prevent and reduce tension and pain and uses it in her teaching to accelerate understanding, awareness, and control of movement.
As teacher she is inspirational, passionate, and knowledgeable. Students' feedback include: "Heleen's clear love for the cello is infectious and leaves me feeling freshly enthused after each and every lesson"; "a fantastic, inspirational teacher"; "an immense knowledge of the cello and pedagogy which she shares with us to help us improve as cellists, musicians, and people". "She has created a supportive and nurturing environment in lessons and the cello class which has enabled us to play with confidence and enjoyment".
Publications
du Plessis, H. (cello) (2021, 18 May). Strings for Africa: Sinfonia for Hope and Stringendo, works by Bach, and Vivaldi, St Andrew's on the Terrace, Wellington, New Zealand. [Performance].
Performance
Petersen, T. (violin), du Plessis, H. (cello), & Young, K. (producer) (2020). Brighter than blue by Matthew Marshall. Auckland, New Zealand: Rattle Records. [Film/Digital Recording/CD-Rom].
Film/Video/CD Rom
du Plessis, H. (cello) (2019). Duo Col Legno: Chamber Music New Zealand Regional Tour, with Yoshiko Tsuruta on Marimba, works by Tchaikovsky, Beall, Japanese traditionals, Farr, Pärt, Fauré, Ourkouzounov, and Klatzow, Eastern Southland Gallery, Lake Wanaka Centre, Oamaru Opera House, Prince Edward Auditorium, St Andrew's Church Hall, Turner Centre, Warkworth Town Hall, Tauranga Park Auditorium, and Prices Gate Hotel, Gore, Wanaka, Oamaru, Whanganui, Gisborne, Kerikeri, Warkworth, Tauranga, Rotorua, New Zealand. [Performance].
Performance
du Plessis, H. (cello, producer) (2019, 4 May). Tahu-nui-ā-Rangi, for cello and marimba, by Gareth Farr (composer), with Yoshiko Tsuruta (marimba), world premier of multi-sensory production with imagery by Ian Griffen and Pieter du Plessis, Planetarium of the Otago Museum, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Performance].
Performance
du Plessis, H. (artistic advisor, cello, soloist) (2019, 24 November). Cello for Africa, presented by Sinfonia for Hope, with Cellophonia, Lyrica Choir, Stringendo, Te Kura Māori O Porirua, Virtuoso Strings, including works by Body, Huyssen, Ritchie, Utting, and Vivaldi, Te Rauparaha Arena, Porirua, New Zealand. [Performance].
Performance
du Plessis, H. (cello) (2019, 24 January). A Thorn Between Two Roses, with Bridget Douglas and John van Buskirk, part of the IRMTNZ National Conference, works by von Weber, Poulenc, Debussy, Villa-Lobbs, and Damase, Marama Hall, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Performance].
Performance
Petersen, T. (concertmaster, soloist (violin), first violin), & du Plessis, H. (soloist (cello)) (2019, 20, 21 July). Dunedin Symphony Orchestra Matinee Series: Strings to their bows, works by Bach, Vaughn Williams, Saint-Saëns, and Schubert, King's and Queen's Performing Arts Centre, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Performance].
Performance
du Plessis, H. (cello) (2017, 10, 13, 16, 19 August). Cello and Guitar, inspired by Latin America Tour, featuring works by Kleynjans, Gnattali, Cassadó, Ritchie, Piazzolla, Lobos, Charlton, Barrios, and Ourkouzounov, Sargood Centre, Memorial Hall, Wall Theatre, and St. Luke's Church, Dunedin, Paekakariki, New Plymouth, and Rotorua, New Zealand. [Performance].
Performance
du Plessis, H. (cello) (2017). PolyKarma. Dunedin, New Zealand: Independent. [Film/Digital Recording/CD-Rom].
Film/Video/CD Rom
du Plessis (2016, August). Applications of surface electromyography in practical music pedagogy. Open Lecture series, Department of Music, Theatre & Preforming Arts, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Public Lecture].
Other Research Output
du Plessis, H. (cello, producer), & Dennis, T. (piano) (2016, 3 October). Cellists Aotearoa: A Sound Sensation, multimedia concert with Pieter du Plessis (photography), including world premiere of works by Anthony Ritchie, Trevor Coleman and Corwin Newall, Glenroy Auditorium, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Performance].
Performance
du Plessis, H. (2016, August). Measure the movement of your muscles: Make more of your sound. Waikato International Cello Fest, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. [Research Presentation].
Other Research Output
du Plessis, H. (2015). Cello for Africa (DMA). University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Awarded Doctoral Degree
du Plessis, H. (2013). Cello for Africa. Auckland, New Zealand: Ode Records. [Film/Digital Recording/CD-Rom].
Film/Video/CD Rom
du Plessis, H. (cello, soloist) (2013, 19 March). Concerto for an African Cellist (19 March), with Hans Huyssen (conductor), Magda de Vries (marimba) and Malcolm Nay (piano), works by Klatzow, Pärt, Huyssen & Britten, Odeion, Bloemfontein, South Africa. [Performance].
Performance
Cornish, N. (oboe), Petersen, T. (violin), Filmer, A. (viola), Du Plessis, H. (cello), & Van Buskirk, J. (piano) (2013, 24 April). Department of Music: Britten 100 Festival: Centenary Commemorative Year Lunchtime Concert II: Instrumental Chamber Music, Marama Hall, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Performance].
Performance
du Plessis, H. (cello), & Dennis, T. (piano) (2013, 26 September). Te Kōkī: New Zealand School of Music Concert: Works for Cello, with Yoshiko Tsuruta (marimba), Adam Concert Room, Wellington, New Zealand. [Performance].
Performance
Du Plessis, H. (cello), Dennis, T. (piano), & Van Buskirk, J. (piano) (2013, 17 April). Department of Music Showcase Series: Britten 100 Festival: Centenary Commemorative Year Lunchtime Concert I: Chamber music for two pianos & cello & piano, Marama Hall, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Performance].
Performance
Petersen, T. (violin), Du Plessis, H. (cello), & Dennis, T. (piano) (2013, 10 November). Department of Music Showcase Series: TriOtago Focus on France: Works by Fauré and Debussy, Marama Hall, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Performance].
Performance
Petersen, T. (violin), Du Plessis, H. (cello), & Dennis, T. (piano) (2013, 16 November). TriOtago Focus on France: Works by Fauré and Debussy, Lake Wanaka Centre, Wanaka, New Zealand. [Performance].
Performance
du Plessis, H. (cello), & Dennis, T. (piano) (2012, 11 July). Nelson Winter Music Festival: Cello & Piano Recital (11 July), works by Beethoven, Klatzow, Debussy and Britten, Nelson School of Music, Nelson, New Zealand. [Performance].
Performance
du Plessis, H. (cello), & Dennis, T. (piano) (2012, 11 March). Cello & Piano Recital: Works by Beethoven, Debussy and Britten, presented by the Aroha Music Society, Turner Centre, Kerikeri, New Zealand. [Performance].
Performance
du Plessis, H. (cello), & Dennis, T. (piano) (2012, 14 March). Department of Music Showcase Series: Beethoven & Britten Masterworks I, Marama Hall, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Performance].
Performance
du Plessis, H. (cello), & Dennis, T. (piano) (2012, 18 March). Cello & Piano Recital, works by Beethoven, Debussy and Britten, Lake Wanaka Centre, Wanaka, New Zealand. [Performance].
Performance
Petersen, T. (violin), & Du Plessis, H. (cello) (2011, 2 April). Double Virtuosity!: Brahms Double Concerto for Violin and Cello, Southern Sinfonia, Dunedin Town Hall, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Performance
Petersen, T. (violin), Du Plessis, H. (cello), & Dennis, T. (piano) (2011, 25 May). Department of Music Showcase Series: TriOtago plays Debussy: Sonata for Cello and Piano (1915) & Piano Trio in G (1880), Marama Hall, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Performance
Dennis, T. (piano), Petersen, T. (violin), & Du Plessis, H. (cello) (2010, 28 November). TriOtago: Inaugural Concert, playing Beethoven and Brahms, Marama Hall, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Performance
Du Plessis, H. (cello soloist) (2010, 22 April). Rimsky-Korsakov, Schumann & Mussorgsky, Cape Philharmonic Orchestra, City Hall, Cape Town, South Africa.
Performance
Du Plessis, H. (cello) (2010, 24 July). Musaion Trio Concert: Works by Beethoven, Schubert and Shostakovich, presented by the Unisa Music Foundation, with Malcolm Nay (piano) and Zanta Hofmeyr (violin), Enoch Sontonga Hall, Pretoria, South Africa.
Performance
Du Plessis, H. (cello) (2010, 25 July). 1091st Concert of the Musaion Trio: Works by Schubert, Shostakovich and Beethoven, Johannesburg Musical Society, with Malcolm Nay (piano) and Zanta Hofmeyr (violin), Linder Auditorium, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Performance
Du Plessis, H. (cello), & Dennis, T. (piano) (2010, 11 September). Heleen Du Plessis: Inaugural recital, recital of works by Debussy, Shostakovich and Rachmaninov, Marama Hall, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Performance
Du Plessis, H. (cello), & Van Buskirk, J. (piano) (2010, 12 October). St Paul's at One: Works by Chopin, Schumann and Rudolph, Otago Festival of the Arts, St Paul's Cathedral, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Performance
Petersen, T. (violin), & Du Plessis, H. (cello) (2010, 30 May). Alexa Still in Concert with the Hawkes Bay Orchestra, Double Concerto for Violin, Cello and Strings by Anthony Ritchie, St Matthews Church, Hastings, New Zealand.
Performance
Du Plessis, H. (cello) (2009, 1 October). Musaion Trio Concert: Chamber Music by Dmitri Shostakovich, Aardklop National Festival of the Arts, Conservatory Hall, University of the Northwest, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
Performance
Du Plessis, H. (cello) (2009, 27 September). Musaion Trio Concert: Chamber Music by Dmitri Shostakovich, presented by the University of the Witwatersrand, Witsmusic & Wits Theatre, The Atrium, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Performance
Du Plessis, H. (cello) (2009, 8 November). Cello-Piano recital: Works by Debussy, Shostakovitch and Rachmaninoff, with Malcom Nay (piano), Musaion, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Performance
Du Plessis, H. (cello) (2008, 27 June). Cello Recital: Works by Rachmaninov, Friday Noon Concert Series, with Eun Joo Chung (piano), Arts Club of Washington, Washington, D.C.
Performance
Du Plessis, H. (cello) (2008, 28 June). Cello Recital: Works by Elgar, Shostakovich, Bach, Malotte and Rachmaninov, with Eun Joo Chung (piano), Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, Lake Ridge, Virginia.
Performance
Du Plessis, H. (cello) (2008, 4 October). Elgar's Concerto for Cello, with the Prince William Symphony Orchestra, Grace E. Metz Auditorium, Manassas, Virginia.
Performance
Du Plessis, H. (cello) (2008, 6 December). Strings Attached: Works by Schubert and Dvorak, presented by Musical Arts International, Calvary Lutheran Church, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Performance
Du Plessis, H. (cello) (2008, 8 November). Symphonic Elegance Cello Concerto: Haydn's Cello Concerto No. 1 in C, with the Nova Manassas Symphony Orchestra, Grace United Methodist Church, Manassas, Virginia.
Performance
