Liisa Pallandi

She performed regularly with the Orchestra before becoming a permanent member of the violin section in 2014.

Liisa loves her ‘job’ for the huge variety of musical experiences and the incredible musicians and administrators she has the privilege of working alongside. Memorable ACO highlights for Liisa include the first regional tour of The Reef back in 2012, meeting the first cohort of new violinists and cellists participating in the ACO Foundations instrumental learning program at St Mary’s North Public School in 2018, performing Beethoven’s Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenen an die Gottheit, in der Lydischen Tonart eight times in two days for the first ACO Total Immersion festival and – most recently – touring with the incomparable musician Abel Selaocoe.

Liisa is passionate about music education. She remains involved with the Emerging Artist program as a mentor and is a regular tutor with the ACO Academy program, directed by ACO violinist Aiko Goto. Liisa has also been a guest teacher at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, the University of New South Wales and the Australian National Academy of Music.

In addition to her work with the ACO, Liisa enjoys performing across a range of styles on violin and viola. Recent highlights include stints with Pinchgut Opera, the Penny Quartet, Ensemble Apex, the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra and Pekka Kuusisto, and co-directing a Sydney Youth Orchestra string orchestra with her double-bassist brother, Jaan Pallandi.

Liisa performs on a violin made in 1759 by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini owned by the ACO and a 2010 viola by Graham Caldersmith.