Spanish-born violinist Sally Aiko Dando started playing the violin at the age of 3. In 2012, she auditioned and gained a place at Conservatorio de Música Julián Orbón, under the guidance of professor Lev Chistyakov. In 2015, she moved to England, where she studied with Dunja Lavrova and co-leader of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Mark Derudder. Sally is the second violin in the Seion Quartet. Some of their highlights include regular engagements with the Broadstone and RCM Chamber Music Series, side by side projects with the Brodsky and Sacconi Quartets, and playing for their Majesties The Emperor and Empress of Japan, Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the State Banquet held at Buckingham Palace in June. The Seion Quartet are winners of the RCM String Quartet Competition, awarded with The Helen Just & Susan Connell Prize and the Sacconi Quartet Prize. The group also made their debut at the Wigmore Hall in June 2025.
Sally is a graduate from the Royal College of music, where she studied under Radu Blidar and Lyutsia Ibragimova. During her time at RCM she had the privilege of working alongside international renowned conductors including Vasily Petrenko, Antonio Pappano, Martin Brabbins, and Sakari Oramo at the 2024 BBC Proms. Some awards which Sally has received include the BSO Young Musician 2018, the Young Soloist Award 2019, and the Rotary Young Musician Regional Competition 2021. Future engagements include taking part in the Chipping Campden Festival Academy Orchestra 2026 this coming May.
Sally is the first recipient of Cherubim’s beautiful G Craske violin kindly donated by the Rose Family.