Dr. Benjamin Hansen, Artistic Director

Dr. Benjamin Hansen is the founder and Artistic Director of The Helios Ensemble, Assistant Director of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra chorus, and the Director of Music at Catalina United Methodist Church. Hansen has degrees from Yale, CCM, Catholic University, and the University of Arizona.  He has conducted such works as Bach’s Mass in B Minor, Brahms’ Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Beethoven’s Mass in C, Duruflé’s Requiem, Howells’ Requiem, Mozart’s Requiem, Poulenc’s Mass in G, and Vaughan Williams’ Three Shakespeare Songs. He has studied conducting with Bruce Chamberlain, Elizabeth Schauer, Leo Nestor, Jerry Blackstone, Mark Gibson, Earl Rivers, Fiora Contino, and Robert Sund. Hansen and his husband Heehun live in Northwest Tucson, and enjoy golf, the sun, Korean food, travel, and their sweet little dog Cooper.  

Dane Carten

Assistant Director

Dane is excited to be the new Assistant Director of The Helios Ensemble.  Dane holds two Summa Cum Laude degrees in music – the Associate of Music Theory and Composition from Oakland Community College in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and the Bachelor of Music Education with a focus in Voice from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. He is currently attending the Fred Fox School of Music at the University of Arizona, seeking the Master of Choral Conducting.

Dane has served in many teaching and leadership positions, including Tenor Section leader in Presbyterian, Catholic, and Episcopal churches, and most recently as the Choir Director of Lord of Grace Lutheran Church in Marana, AZ. Dane has accumulated over 5 years of experience teaching voice, piano, guitar, ukulele, and public speaking in 3 different private music schools in the Detroit Metro area.

When choosing to unwind and use his free time, Dane enjoys several hobbies such as biking, reading fantasy/horror novels, playing Dungeons and Dragons, creative writing, composing, and playing video games.

Chia-Chun Ko

Collaborative Pianist

Chia-Chun Ko is a collaborative pianist and piano teacher. She has served as the teaching artist for OperaTunity at Arizona Opera since 2019 and the collaborative pianist for the Helios ensemble. Dr. Ko has performed actively in solo and chamber music concerts, and has also participated in various competitions. She was the winner of the University of Arizona President’s Concerto Competition and performed as soloist with the Arizona Symphony Orchestra in 2012. She was first place prizewinner in the Lois Trester Piano Competition in 2013 and second place prizewinner in 2011. She performed in the 2014 Dove of Peace concert series, featuring Beethoven sonatas. Dr. Ko presented several shared recitals in the Southwest as UA Pianists on Tour in 2014 and was thrice invited to be a guest artist in the Viola Voice Festival in Mexico City in 2017-19. She has served as the rehearsal accompanist for the Tucson Symphony Orchestra Chorus in 2015-18.

Chia-Chun Ko received a D.M.A. degree in Piano Performance from the University of Arizona, where she studied with Prof. Tannis Gibson. She is the recipient of various scholarships from NTUE, University of Arizona, the Yamaha Music Foundation, and Ivancovich Music Scholarship. 

Kassidy Smith

Helios Administrator

Kassidy Smith is eager to bring her arts administration expertise to the Helios Ensemble as its new administrative intern for the fall of 2022. Born in Connecticut, Kassidy began singing as soon as she could talk, starting in her home church’s choir. She took that passion into her schooling and was heavily involved in music, singing in the choirs and playing low brass in her high school and community college ensembles. Kassidy held various leadership positions in these ensembles. She was also in the Artists Collective Youth Jazz Orchestra with René McLean, where she learned about and grew to enjoy the administrative side of music organizations. After moving to Washington D.C., Kassidy earned an Associate’s Degree in Music from Prince George’s Community College. She studied vocal performance under Dr. Nakia Verner during her time at PGCC. Kassidy then moved to Tucson in 2021 and is now pursuing a B.A. in Music with a vocal performance concentration and a minor in Arts Administration at the University of Arizona.  

Alison Wahl

Composer-in-Residence

Alison Wahl’s work as a vocalist, composer, and songwriter spans many genres and seeks to center authentic human presence. Her music is earnestly human, stubbornly optimistic, intricate, and thoughtful. Her newest EP, “Songs of Change,” was released in September of 2022. Equally at home on the operatic and oratorio stage, Alison was praised by the Chicago Tribune for her “appealing,” “bright, vibrant soprano.” She has appeared as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Milwaukee Symphony, the Boston Pops, and the Rochester Philharmonic. Alison was a 2015 vocal fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center and a 2012 young artist at the Steans Music Institute at the Ravinia Festival. She won an Encouragement Award from the Metropolitan Opera’s 2012 National Competition. She holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts and a Masters degree in Voice Performance and Literature from Northwestern University and a Masters in Composition from the Peabody Institute.