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Helen Savari-Renold

Singer/Songwriter and member of the duet "Cenderawasih" in Malaysia (EMI artiste 1983-1986), presently living in Switzerland active as a Producer and Composer for the Jazzaar Festival productions since 1992.

About Me

Helen Savari-Renold is a co-producer of the 2023 Grammy®-nominated album “Remembering Bob Freedman” by Ron Carter & The Jazzaar Festival Big Band directed by Christian Jacob, in the category of Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.

Helen was born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Together with her sister Irene, she founded the duo Cenderawasih which was signed to EMI in 1984. Their three albums received high acclaim among the Malaysian public spiking sales up to gold records for EMI Malaysia. The Cenderawasih became one of Malaysia’s most popular Pop Duos of the ’80s under the management of their mother, A.I. Nalini Matilda.

At a very early age, Helen began music lessons covering classical piano, popular guitar, and vocal training in the Bel Canto tradition. She enjoyed steady employment in clubs, lounges, and concert halls performing as Cenderawasih and got immediate attention from the local media, which consequently led to nationwide fame and the attention of TV and radio stations in the country. In 1986 she left for America with her sister to further their education in music in the area of production, arranging, and composition at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Awarded a full bright scholarship at the college she graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor's in Jazz Composition. As a performer, she continued with the duet stints in the club circuits of Boston’s suburbs and on festival stages in the greater Massachusetts area gaining once again a following of loyal fans.

Helen married Fritz Renold (Swiss saxophonist) whom she had met in Boston at Berklee College of Music, then moved to Switzerland in 1990 leaving behind the illustrious career with the duet Cenderawasih. In the meantime, the family Renold grew with the birth of Lydia in 1992, Benjamin in 1993, and Sharon in 1996. Their talented children are now musicians in their own right.

Upon their arrival in Switzerland, she founded together with Fritz Renold the company Shanti Music Productions Renold & Co. It is here that they developed the unique concept of Bandstand Learning with Role Models™ for the Swiss Youth Ensembles. The project expanded over the years to what is now called the ‘Jazzaar Festival‘. Helen has been a co-producer of the events at the Jazzaar Festival since 2001. She also presided over the Jazzaar Association between 2008 and 2014 and from 2020 until 2022. She contributed original compositions and lyrics performed at Jazzaar Festival and produced Jazzaar events in Thailand (2000) and Malaysia (2010). In 2003 she wrote the narration for a Jazz Suite entitled Euphrates & Tigris Suite. In 2005 she recorded her first album with Fritz Renold entitled the “CUBE”, for which she also composed the libretto to Fritz’s compositions for an all-star lineup. The album received pre-nominations in 7 categories for the Grammy. To date, she has 88 works to her name as a composer and/or lyricist, most of which have been performed and recorded.

Helen has also appeared on stage with many illustrious jazz musicians such as Herb Pomeroy, Adam Nussbaum, Christian Jacob, Mike Richmond, Tommy Campbell, Bobby Watson, Jeff Brillinger, Franco Ambrosetti, Jerry Bergonzi, Buster Williams, Carl Allan, Adi Yeshaya, Shelley Carroll, Chris Albert, Randy Brecker, Steven Bernstein, Willie Murillo, Donny McCaslin, Tommy Smith, Bernd Konrad, Dave Taylor, Miroslav Vitous, Jamshied Sharifi, Vincent Gardner, John LaPorta and many more.

She also garnered expertise in Curriculum Development from the Frey Academy in Zurich and has an Exec. Master's in education design from the PHW in Switzerland. Having innovated some highly effective vocal techniques for multi-stylistic performances she teaches voice in a private setting for students at all levels.