Giraldus Duo

HELEN SCHILSKY was born in Dagenham and studied the viola privately with Tina Longford and Ursula Steadman. She gained a place at the Purcell School of Music and the junior department of the Royal College of Music studying with Leon King and Bridget Crouch. She completed a years’ study at Trinity College of Music with Elizabeth Turnbull, where she performed Hindemith’s `Trauermusik` with the string ensemble. She followed this with a Batchelor of Music course at The Royal College of Music studying under Margaret Major. Whilst at the college, Helen was fortunate enough to perform in several masterclasses, including one with Sir Peter Maxwell Davies on his piece, `The Door of The Sun.’ Helen also studied Baroque viola for a year under the tutelage of Andrew Manze and took part in the Baroque Orchestra at Buckingham Palace for the investiture for HRH The Prince of Wales. She was also a member of the 20th Century ensemble under the direction of Edwin Roxburgh, performing `From Silence` by Jonathan Harvey. 

Since leaving college, Helen has worked with The Scottish National Orchestra, The BBC Philharmonic, The Philharmonia and Scottish Opera. After moving to North Wales in 2005 with her husband and son, she established herself as a teacher, while continuing her freelance performing. She plays in many freelance orchestras and ensembles, including Liverpool Sinfonia and Ensemble Cymru, with whom she took part, playing for Genod Droog, a Welsh language Rap group, performing at the Welsh Rap Awards. More recently, Helen has played as part of a quartet, accompanying Bryn Fon and his band at the televised National Eisteddfod event evening in Denbigh. 

Helen enjoys chamber music and has played for Ruthin Music Club and at the music festival in Criccieth.  She plays a Klotz viola c.1810.

Pianist, SIMON REYNOLDS, grew up in Harrow and attended the Salvatorian College and Purcell School of Music. He studied under the tutelage of Harrow-based pianist, Catherine Dubois, for some 10 years before pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music at the University of Leeds. It was there that he developed and furthered his love of piano accompaniment, receiving encouraging direction from leading accompanist, Keith Swallow whilst participating in performance studies classes with Professor Clive Brown. He collaborated with many of his peers in their final year recitals and established a chamber ensemble with a university string quartet, enabling him the opportunity to explore some of the quintet repertoire. The Piano Quintet in G minor, Op.57 by Dmitri Shostakovich became a particular favourite of theirs and the ensemble were invited to perform the work in local venues including the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds and the Alhambra Arts Centre in Bradford. 

In his solo capacity, Simon passed the examinations to be awarded the Licentiate Performer’s Diploma from Trinity College of Music London in 1994. He graduated from Leeds University the following year with First Class Honours. Further postgraduate study followed at the London College of Music where he chose to study 20th century and contemporary piano repertoire. At the college, he was fortunate to benefit from the knowledge and expertise of eminent Cambridge-based pianist, Philip Mead – one of this country’s foremost exponents of avant garde music. During a busy year of performing, he played some key 20th century sonatas, including Berg’s Op.1, Janacek’s Sonata 1.X.1905 ‘From the Street’ and Samuel Barber’s Sonata in Eb minor, Op.26. He completed his Master of Music Degree in Performance in 1998. 

In addition to his work as a pianist, Simon is also a much sought-after organist – an instrument he has played since his early teenage years when he was asked to accompany the weekly school services. He held the position of Music Co-ordinator at Ealing Abbey between 1996-98 and played the Rushworth and Dreaper organ for one of the parish Sunday services. In 1998, he took up the position of Director of Music at St Thomas More Church, Eastcote – a role he held until December 2018.  In January 2019, he accepted the post of Director of Music at the joint parish of St Gabriel's, South Harrow and St Bernard's, Northolt playing a 1965 Walker & Sons 2-manual pipe organ and a Makin digital organ which was bought and installed in 2018 on the back of a generous donation. As of October 2024, he is the Parish Organist and Choir Master at St Luke's Roman Catholic Church in Pinner and plays a pipe organ built by Percy Daniels and Co in the 1960s. 

Since 2005, Simon has taught on the piano faculty at Harrow School and has had the pleasure of working with some talented teenage boys. In his leisure time, he enjoys walking in the Chilterns in Buckinghamshire where he now lives, watching foreign language films and drama, wild swimming and practising yoga.