Héloïse Werner

The multi-talented composer, singer and cellist talks to Fiona Maddocks about the various obstacles she has had to overcome in order to pursue her unique musical path

“I was often told I must just compose or just sing, or I wouldn’t have a career”

A whole cast of characters jostles inside the one person called Héloïse Werner. We need to meet them all if we are to get any understanding of this multi-faceted musician, a fast-rising star, both as solo performer and as a member of the Hermes Experiment, a unique line-up of harp, soprano voice, clarinet and double-bass (see p34), of which she is co-director. First there was the child growing up in Paris who started cello, aged four, in 1995: ‘I worked hard at it and thought that would be my future.’ Her French mother was a Baroque flautist – ‘there was always Bach in the house. She played the