Helen Bowater began her composing career in 1985 with Raindance, a work in which she sang as soprano accompanied by two clarinets, piano, drum and bullroarer. Since then she has held various composer residencies including the Nelson School of Music (1992), Otago University Mozart Fellow (1993), the Auckland Philharmonia Composer in Residence (1994), the Jack C. Richards/Creative New Zealand Composer Residency—New Zealand School of Music, Victoria University of Wellington (2008-2009) and the University of Otago Wallace Residency at the Auckland Pah Homestead (2016). She has been performed and broadcast extensively in New Zealand and internationally; has featured in concerts and compilations of New Zealand music and represented New Zealand in festivals abroad.