He was the founder of the Alsfelder Vokalensemble and served as their conductor for decades, a group that toured internationally and received awards for their recordings.
From 1999 to 2013, Helbich was also artistic director of the Musikverein der Stadt Bielefeld, conducting several concerts, often in the Rudolf Oetker Hall [de].
[2] From 1974, Helbich recorded with the Alsfelder Vokalensemble and the Bremer Domchor numerous award-winning programs.
[1] They recorded apocryphal works by Johann Sebastian Bach in several volumes, including the cantata Uns ist ein Kind geboren, BWV 142.
[5][6] Helbich received the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik for his 2002 recording of Ein deutsches Requiem by Johannes Brahms with the Bremer Domchor and the Kammer Sinfonie Bremen.