Helena Saelman-Kraut
My parents were professional musicians. Father Gustav Kraut, was alt-violinist at the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and mother Therese, a pianoteacher and has accompanied many singers. My father’s dream was to play in a String Quartet chamber music. He was able to realise that when his early retirement came, he played in the Antonio String Quartet with Jan Hulst as the primarius. They have played many interesting string quartets mostly from the romantic period early 1800 like; Schubert, Schumann, Beethoven, Mozart, but also more modern works like Webern and Pijper.
Touched by a choir
At a performance of the Quartet Quartet there was also a small SATB (soprano-alto-tenor-bass) choir. It touched me and the same week I saw an ad for a new choir and I joined in. Singing became more special and I studied classical singing at Sonja van Lier. I followed master classes at Marjolein Koetsier and attended with Cora Canne Meijer and Margreet Honig.
Education singing methodics
This moment i am doing the education singing methodics at the Schumann Academie with Hannah Ybeles Smit. During the practical training in a small group we learn many various singing techniques and we all come to give singing lessons to a pupil under the watchful eye of Hannah and the group. After the lesson the approach with Hannah in the group will be discussed and we all have the opportunity to express criticism. At home we study the theoretical backgrounds. This spring I started private singing lessons practice.