Lisa Dowdall

An innovative and versatile musician, Lisa Dowdall has focused her career on chamber music in all its forms from early music through classical to hardcore contemporary, experimenting with new musical genres, art forms and venues. 

Lisa has performed as a chamber musician, recitalist, and in chamber orchestras throughout Europe, the United States, South America, Australia and Asia. She has performed at The Edinburgh Festival, BBC Proms, Canberra International Music Festival, Ban on a Can Marathon, with residencies at Huddersfield International Contemporary Music Festival, Princeton University, Montclair State University and Aldeburgh Residencies. Performance highlights include performances in Carnegie Hall (USA), Kennedy Centre (USA), Barbican (UK) as well as live radio broadcasts on BBC Radio 3, Lyric FM, ABC and WNYC.

Since 2007, Lisa has been a member of the internationally acclaimed new music group Crash Ensemble, collaborating with composers and artists from all genres and disciplines, premiering works written for  the ensemble by Terry Riley, David Lang, Michael Gordon, Nico Muhly and Donnacha Dennehy. Crash Ensemble can be heard on recordings by labels NMC, Cantaloupe, Nonesuch and Bedroom Community.

Lisa’s passion for authentic performance has led her to explore the world of the baroque viola and viola d’amore, performing and recording with the Irish Baroque Orchestra, Camerata Kilkenny, Ensemble Marsyas, Spackling Band, Sestina and Resurgam. On the viola d’amore Lisa has merged her baroque and contemporary experiences, collaborating with composers, improvisers, poets, dancers, singer song writers and film scorers.

In addition to her teaching position at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Lisa is an Arts Council Creative Associate and has taught on courses for the South African National Youth Orchestra, MA in Classical String Performance - University of Limerick, Trinity College Dublin and the Irish Youth Baroque Orchestra.