Violist

London-born Helena Baillie was hailed by The Strad magazine for her ”brilliance and poignance,” and stands apart for a rare ease on both violin and viola. American Record Guide praised her ‘gorgeous singing tone’ in an album that ‘from the opening flourish will be a special recital.’ She enjoys a multifaceted career as a performer and violin and viola faculty member at the Bard College Music Program.

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Helena Baillie, violin/viola; Anita Balázs, cello; Erika Switzer, piano

The Chapel Restoration

The ever-fascinating and intimate triangle—Robert and Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms—will be brought to new light with seldom-heard works that highlight the musical cross-references and spiritual bond that united them.

Close Encounters With Music: Drama & Melodrama – The Schumanns

Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center

The season closes with the irresistible fire and passion of music shaped by Romani traditions, which left an indelible mark on European composers. The romance, longing, and sense of freedom in these melodies found their way into some of the most beloved works of the repertoire. Haydn’s Piano Trio No. 39, with its famous “Gypsy” Rondo, dazzles in Hungarian style, while Brahms unleashes unbridled intensity in the torrential finale of his Piano Quartet No. 1. Ravel (Tzigane), Bartók (Romanian Dances), and Liszt (Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2) add their voices to this vibrant tradition. After the performance, join us for a festive reception—complete with a fortune teller to offer a lighthearted glimpse into your future. Our prediction: a brilliant season finale filled with inspired music and extraordinary performers.

Violist

Helena Baillie

Events

Upcoming events

Jun 14, 2026

Close Encounters With Music: Romance of the Romani!—Ravel, Bartók, Liszt, Haydn, and Brahms Piano Quartet · Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center

Past events

Apr 19, 2026

Helena Baillie, violin/viola; Anita Balázs, cello; Erika Switzer, piano · Chapel Restoration

Oct 20, 2024

Close Encounters With Music: Drama & Melodrama – The Schumanns · Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center

Future and recently performed repertoire

Violin in Piano Trio by Tchaikovsky

Chapel Restoration

Viola in Piano Quartet No. 1 by Brahms

Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center

Viola in Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 by Liszt

Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center

About

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