Meet Lisa Liu: Co-Creator, Unison Orchestra

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lisa Liu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisa, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor behind my success is my careful selection of the people I choose to be surrounded by on our shared journey.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The Unison Orchestra was created to unite musicians and composers, globally, in the face of the pandemic. With all scoring stages and concert venues shut down, we wanted to find a solution that would bring some money into musicians’ pockets, help composers continue recording, and to do it all safely. Brad Haehnel, our partner and brilliant engineer, spent weeks training the musicians for various projects. With many of the musicians furloughed, we were able to work with the highest caliber orchestral players from across the globe. With the help of world-renowned conductor, Marin Alsop, and our orchestra contractor, violist Eddy Malave, our players were carefully chosen. These all-star players, coming from such orchestras as the MET, New York Philharmonic Royal Opera House, Baltimore, Seattle, Cleveland Symphonies, set up home studios and worked diligently to create our unique Unison Orchestra sound. As with all new organizations, there were many lessons and obstacles to overcome. Finding those musicians who are passionate and committed to high standards and are also generous, grateful and easy to work with, isn’t the easiest thing to do. Relationships are our priority, and we’re continuously seeking to co-create and collaborate with like-minded composers and musicians.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Pre-Covid times, we loved entertaining our clients at one of the Soho Houses in Malibu, West Hollywood or Downtown. These days, we just want to be in nature! A bike or scooter ride up and down the beach bike path from Playa del Rey down to Manhattan Beach or up to Santa Monica is always an adventure! There are tons of beach joints with outdoor areas that are perfect for people-watching. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My dear friends, fellow Juilliard graduates, and immensely talented married TV/Film and concert composers, Laura Karpman and Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum are behind the creation of the Unison Orchestra. Nora and I were in college together, and I think of her as a sibling, while Laura has been a mentor since the start of my career. They even graciously hosted my wedding at their beautiful home on the beach in Playa del Rey where Nora officiated, and their son, Benny, walked down the aisle to give us our rings. We’re all so close that we even share a dog, Peeti! Laura is a Governor of the Academy, and an esteemed composer with so many awards, you can’t glance anywhere in their home and not see how wildly accomplished and influential they both are in the music community.
Once the first lockdown occurred, all scoring stages and performance venues were closed. Laura had to score HBO’s “Lovecraft Country” and help her 20 USC film scoring students record their final compositions. Always with an intention of benefiting the community and serving the greater good, Laura called me on an early Saturday morning and announced she was going to create a remote orchestra, and that I was to run with it. Nearly a year later, our momentum is growing stronger each week!

Website: Www.unisonorchestra.com

Instagram: @unisonorchestralive

Linkedin: @unisonorchestralive

Twitter: @unisonorchestralive

Facebook: @unisonorchestralive

Youtube: Unison Orchestra

Other: Www.laurakarpman.com Www.norakroll-rosenbaum.com Www.bradhaehnel.com Www.Eddy Malave.com Www.lisaliumusic.com

Image Credits
Mitch Henson Leonardo de Bernardini