[5] In 1999, Hellawell wrote Inside Story, which was premiered at the Proms and led to a CD featuring the piece alongside other recent major works on the Metronome Label in 2002.
In the same year, the Hilliard Ensemble and the Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra also premiered his piece The Pear Tree of Nicostratus at the Kaustinen Festival in Finland.
[7] Two years later, his piece Cons de chasse was premiered by the Philharmonia Orchestra with Håkan Hardenberger and Jonas Bylund at the Brighton Festival.
Sound Carvings from the Bell Foundry was premiered by Stockholm Chamber Brass in Norway and Ireland in 2006, which marked Hellawell's 50th birthday[9] In 2008, Hellawell worked with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the clarinettist Robert Plane in creating a piece Agricolas, premiered at the Vale of Glamorgan Festival that year.
In 2013, he was commissioned by the Swedish Chamber Orchestra and the Stockholm Kammarbrass Syzygy which was premiered in the spring of that year and supported the Leverhulme Fellowship.