Lauren Helmer

Lauren Helmer is a secondary school educator from Kitchener, Ontario. She has been the Associate Director of Bands of Eastwood Collegiate Institute’s Integrated Arts Magnet Program since 2018. Previously, Lauren taught at Preston High School, and Bluevale CI in Cambridge and Waterloo respectively. Her bands have consistently achieved the highest honours at the provincial and national level, competing at various festivals and competitions, both locally and abroad.

As a performer, Lauren was the associate principal trombonist and 2nd trombonist of the Guelph Symphony Orchestra for eight years before joining the Stratford Symphony Orchestra in 2012. After 14 years of service, Lauren retired from the Canadian Army Reserve Forces in 2020. She was the trombone section commander of the internationally honoured Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Band (RHLI) since 2007. Prior to joining the RHLI, Lauren spent four summers performing on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, with the Band of the Ceremonial Guard, from 2007-2010.

As a conductor, Lauren is excited to announce that she is the newly appointed Artistic Director for the Guelph Concert Band as of 2022! She has studied wind ensemble conducting with Dr. Denise Grant, the late Michael Purves-Smith and has attended conducting clinics throughout North America. Lauren also holds the position as the Assistant Conductor of the Kitchener-Waterloo Youth Concert Band and as the Artistic Director for Summer Music Camp in Southampton, Ontario. She is the Brass coach for the Grand River Blues Camp and has directed and co-directed in multiple camps and masterclasses throughout her career.

Lauren is a member of the Canadian Band Association, the Ontario Band Association, the Ontario Music Educators’ Association, and is the Provincial Chair of Ontario for the Women Band Directors’ International. When she is not teaching, Lauren enjoys both performing with and directing local wind ensembles, big bands and brass groups. Lauren holds an Honours Bachelor of Music Education from Wilfrid Laurier University, and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Western.

Lauren spends her free time with her incredibly supportive husband and daughter, running, lifting weights, snowboarding, hitting the links, reading a good book or enjoying a cup of coffee.