The York Festival of Early Music has announced that critically acclaimed, award-winning mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston will join the organization as Artistic Adviser this May.

Replacing harpsichordist Steven Devine, she will work alongside such advisers as John Bryan, Lindsay Kemp and Peter Seymour.

Charlston, the winner of London’s Händel Competition, is a member of the Les Arts Florissants Young Artists Programme, a BBC New Generation Artist, and a 2018 City Music Foundation Artist. She is also the founder of the Rising Star of the Enlightenment porgram.

“We are delighted to welcome Helen as a new Artistic Adviser joining our already established team of experts. Artistic Advisers play an important part in the development of our work, and we are sure Helen’s expertise and experience will be huge assets to the festival,” said York Early Music Festival Administrative Director and Director of the National Centre for Early Music, Dr Delma Tomlin MBE, in an official statement. “Helen has a long association with York and we are looking forward to working with her. We are sure she will bring some brilliant and fresh ideas as we move towards York Early Music Festival 2023.”

Per her appointment, Charlston noted, “I’m very excited to be joining the York Early Music team as Artistic Adviser. It’s such an honor to be working with one of Europe’s most important and progressive Early Music festivals, with a reputation for promoting and championing the work of young emerging artists. I always love performing in York and now I can look forward to spending more time working in this beautiful city and soaking up the atmosphere of the fabulous medieval splendor of the festival’s hub in St Margaret’s Church.”