Lior Balachness

Born in 2001, Lior is an accomplished opera and orchestral conductor who has assisted renowned conductors and is also a skilled oboist, pianist and vocal coach.

A 2025-2026 Conducting Fellow with the NZSO and assists Maestro Marc Taddei with Orchestra Wellington. He is also a faculty member with the National Youth Opera Aotearoa, serving as a coach [diction & voice], and assisting Maestro Jose Aparicio.

Lior has attended masterclasses across Europe and served as an associate conductor at the Cameri Theatre. In 2024, he was appointed assistant conductor for the HSO’s production of Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore and has conducted La Bohème in Italy.

He holds a B.Mus. in Orchestral and Opera Conducting from the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, where he received guidance from distinguished conductors such as Maestro Dan Ettinger, Lahav Shani, and Zubin Mehta. Lior has conducted and coached various operas and musicals, inspiring others with his dedication, and has worked with most of Israel’s orchestras, including the HSO, the Buchmann-Mehta Symphony Orchestra, the JSO, and the Israeli Camerata Orchestra.

In 2026, Lior will complete his Master of the Arts (MMA) degree at the New Zealand School of Music, followed by engagements in Europe and New Zealand.

As a conducting, voice, and oboe teacher, Lior has worked with a wide range of ages and levels of experience, from young students up to university students, both individually and in large groups. While ensuring his students develop a strong, healthy technique that is mindful of their bodies, Lior encourages them to dive deep into the meaning behind the music through careful analysis and research. Passionate about opera and musical theatre, Lior guides students through the beginning stages of preparing a role, including character work, diction, and healthy vocal technique.

As a teacher of theoretical subjects, Lior believes in providing an encouraging and supportive learning environment that challenges the students to think, research, and apply the theory in practice. Following an introduction to music theory course, theory lessons comprise four subjects: Harmony, Ear Training [Solfege], Music Literature & History, and Analysis & Form.