Born in Passaic, New Jersey, Robert Helps graduated from Columbia University in 1949 and taught at several universities throughout the United States, including Manhattan School of Music and Princeton University. He won several prestigious awards for his compositions, including a Naumburg Foundation aware, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and awards from the Fromm Foundation and the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters.

In addition to his dedication to 20th century piano music, he also performed often with singer Bethany Beardslee and violinist Isidore Cohen.

Among his compositions are a handful of songs, including two settings of Herman Melville and some settings of James Purdy.

–Christie Finn

Source: New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians