Liina Leijala
Artistic Director, Wiener Musikakademie
Liina Leijala is a Finnish cellist, arts executive and cultural leader with an international career spanning artistic direction, institutional development, music education and performance.
Since 2026, she has served as Artistic Director of the Wiener Musikakademie, where she is responsible for the Academy’s artistic vision and the development of its international programmes, masterclasses, academies and artistic partnerships. Her work focuses on bringing together distinguished artists and emerging musicians while developing projects that encourage artistic individuality, intellectual curiosity and a broader dialogue around the role of musicians in contemporary society.
Leijala previously served for more than a decade as Executive and Artistic Director of the Barenboim-Said Foundation in Ramallah, where she played a central role in developing the institution’s artistic and educational structures. During her tenure, she expanded its programmes and international partnerships and was closely involved in the development of the Filasteen Young Musicians Orchestra, alongside numerous educational and cultural initiatives.
Her leadership experience also includes work with Nova Orchester Wien, international music institutions and educational organisations. She currently combines her work at the Wiener Musikakademie with her position as Managing Director of Rock the Opera / Prague Philharmonics.
Alongside her work in arts leadership, Leijala has maintained an active career as a professional cellist. Her orchestral experience includes the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Academy, where she served as principal cellist, the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, among other international ensembles and projects.
Her artistic and professional work has taken her throughout Europe, the Middle East and beyond, giving her a distinctly international perspective on music education, cultural leadership and the development of young artists.
At the Wiener Musikakademie, Leijala’s artistic vision is centred on excellence without uniformity: supporting the highest professional standards while preserving the personality, imagination and individual artistic voice of each musician.