Elizabeth Rennie grew up in a musical family in Cape Town, where she began playing violin and piano as a child.  In her early teens, Elizabeth switched to viola, and within a few years achieved prinicipal viola status in the S A National Youth Orchestra.  After dropping out of Med school in 1989, she became the youngest member of the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra.  In 1991 Elizabeth was awarded a scholarship from the University of Cincinnati to study viola performance with Masao Kawasaki.  During her three years in the USA, she played in many ensembles, toured Mexico, participated in the Aspen Music Festival and completed her degree a year early!

Elizabeth returned to South Africa in 1994, having graduated summa cum laude, and took up the co-principal viola position in the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra.  Later she moved on to become principal violist of the PACOFS Orchestra in Bloemfontein and then in 1998 moved to Joburg to join the NSO.

When the NSO closed down in 2000, Elizabeth embarked on a freelance career which grew from basic survival into a richly varied experience.  She has established herself as a “studio-friendly” muso in Gauteng and has contributed to recordings for top artists such as Paul Hanmer, Johnny Clegg, Anton Goosen, Johannes Kerkorrel, Nianell, PJ Powers, Lionel Bastos,  Theuns Jordaan, Jannie du Toit, Laurika Rauch, Vusi Mahlasela, Zim Ngqawana, Coleske and more.  Lizzie also tasted the life of rock-n-roll as the violinist for the band Watershed, with whom she played for two years, the highlight of which was a European tour in 2002.

“Now that the Watershed chapter is over for me, I continue to busy myself freelancing and teaching, whilst enjoying developing my own contemporary solo act, encouraged by numerous requests to do something bold and new – a South African answer to the Vanessa Mae idea.  I love the fact that my skills allow such a wonderfully broad range of musical projects: one day it’s Mozart and the next it’s something with a completely different groove!  I truly believe that this colourful variety is a fitting reflection of current life in South Africa and I am grateful to be able to embrace music in the fullest sense possible”

Besides working on her solo pop-violin project, Lizzie is currently involved in developing an exciting new show “It’s Time,” together with her cousin, Michael de Pinna.  Directed by Tim Plewman, this show is a unique blend of razzmatazz-bigband-swing cabaret and virtuoso contemporary violin.  Lizzie also continues to freelance as a violist for the Johannesburg Music Initiative.